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    Jewish antisemites – Emor

    What people think of Jews is motivated partly by observation and partly by prejudice.

    Observation leads decent outsiders to praise our sense of community and how we keep our standards even in unfriendly times.

    Prejudice picks up anti-Jewish slogans and beats us around the head with them. Prejudice is hard to eradicate because it is neither rational nor fair. It is a pity that the modern age which understands the techniques of persuasion can still be guilty of anti-Jewish bias.

    When the Torah speaks of Kiddush HaShem, however – God says, “I shall be sanctified” (Lev. 22:31-33) – it is not really talking about what gentiles say of Jews, but what Jews themselves say. The verse reads, “I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel”.

    That’s why Jewish antisemites are often more dangerous than gentile Jew-haters. Jews who say terrible things about Israel are sometimes worse than gentiles who do.

    True, Israel isn’t perfect, and neither are Jews… but surely if you can’t say nice things you should say nothing. If you see failings amongst your own people you should quietly work on them from within.

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