Are You a Spy or a Tourist?
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Beyond defending Israel and Jews, is there an end in sight to this eruption of world-wide antisemitism?
Antisemitism is the oldest, most persistent, and most dangerous hatred in history. It is not only ancient—it is uniquely virulent, violent, and, as we’ve seen in every generation, including our own, potentially genocidal.
As the Passover Haggadah says: “In every generation, they rise up to annihilate us.”
Since October 7th, this hatred has surged again with chilling clarity. The stated goal of Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and their proxies is nothing less than the annihilation of the Jewish state. And across the globe, chants like “From the river to the sea” echo that same call.
Jewish communities, Israel, and supporters around the world are mobilizing to defend against this onslaught—politically, legally, militarily, and in the media. But where is the conversation about solving antisemitism altogether?
Many people believe that antisemitism is inevitable. Historians describe it as a social or psychological disease with no cure. Religious tradition echoes this with the Talmudic line: “Esau hates Jacob.”
So the common assumption becomes: there is no solution. We must defend ourselves, yes. But to end antisemitism? That sounds naive, even delusional.
And yet—I believe there is a solution. A moral and spiritual one.
This belief is at the heart of our film Tragic Awakening: A New Look at the Oldest Hatred. And it begins with a diagnosis that challenges prevailing assumptions.
Antisemitism is a spiritual phenomenon to the unique role of the Jewish people.
Antisemitism is not essentially a disease; it is ultimately a choice. It's a spiritual phenomenon that must be defeated by moral and spiritual clarity and choice.
The Talmud (Shabbat 89a) explains the source of antisemitism. It teaches that when God gave the Torah to the Jewish People at Mount Sinai, hatred (sina in Hebrew) descended to the world.
The root of antisemitism, or sinah (hatred), is Sinai.
At Sinai, the Jewish people received a divine mission: to carry and live by a moral code and to be a light to the nations. This covenant, received in unity, is the foundation of our identity.
The world’s hatred of Jews is not just baseless prejudice. It is, at its root, a rejection of that mission and the moral responsibility it carries.
Ending Jew hatred is not only in exposing lies or winning battles in the court of public opinion. It begins with us—with Jewish unity, clarity of purpose, and reconnection to our covenant with God.
That means the path to ending Jew hatred is not only in exposing lies or winning battles in the court of public opinion. It begins with us—with Jewish unity, clarity of purpose, and reconnection to our covenant with God.
Three key insights guide this vision:
To address antisemitism, we must repair all three.
We need to unite as a people—not by erasing our differences, but by committing to a shared destiny. Without that unity, we will continue to be reminded by our enemies that we are one family, whether we act like it or not.
We must embrace our identity not just as a religion or a culture, but as a people with a covenantal destiny, with the Land of Israel as its focal point.
And we must confront the spiritual discomfort that modernity has bred. As Elie Wiesel wrote: “You can be a Jew with God. You can be a Jew against God. But not without God.”
October 7th was a wakeup call. With illusions shattered, we are being called to remember who we are, and why we are here.
Since the root of Jew hatred is Sinai, then our alignment with Sinai—with our mission, values, and God—is the antidote.
The Jewish people are not here to convert the world to Judaism, but to bring the world to universal God-based morality, as expressed in the Ten Commandments. That is our light. And it is precisely that light that has always drawn the darkness against us.
But that mission is also our hope. By fulfilling it, we turn the very cause of antisemitism into its cure.
The prophets spoke of a time when this vision would be realized—a world redeemed by moral clarity and divine truth.
Will it come all at once, with the arrival of the Messiah? Perhaps. But maybe, like the return to Israel, it will unfold in stages, with setbacks and progress, shaped by our choices.
The more we live our mission, the more the moral and spiritual battle will tilt in our favor. Evil weakens when our moral might is strengthened. Our greatest weapon is imbuing all fronts - military, political and cultural- with moral and spiritual clarity.
With God’s help, and our courage to choose purpose over fear, we can end this ancient hatred and shine a light of truth and peace to all humanity.
“In every generation, they rise up to annihilate us… and the Holy Blessed One saves us from their hands.”
I’m surprised that the author focuses on what are commonly called “the 10 Commandments”. I was taught that the 7 laws of Noah are those incumbents upon all humans. The first five commandments are those between Hashem and Israel. Furthermore, misappropriation of the Hebrew Scriptures (without the commentary) is the greatest tragedy in history. When people tell me that they believe in the 10 Commandments, I ask them “Really? When did G-d take you out of the Land of Egypt?” If (as is nearly always the case) they tell me that it’s symbolic, not literal, I ask about things like religious statues and not taking Hashem’s name in vain.
Loved this article on antisemitism and how it stems from Sinai….it explained a lot!
Beautifully said. Thank you.
Having been trying to counter anti Israeli arguments , the use of the words genocide, apprtheid etc on line I have come to the conclusion that the use of the words ANTISEMITIC , ANTISEMITE should not be used in response.
Why? Because these ignorant dangerous morons counter with " but Arabs are Semites thus it cant be that we are anti.."
Your article got it almost right
One must accuse them of being A JEW HATER , a supporter of a proscribed terorist organisation [HAMAS] and thus a potential terrorist!
I have found that often they do not respond [ it is illegal to hate!] ie it shuts them up... but if they do rspond, then they leave themselves wide open to be firmly criticised because it is now easy to prove that they are attacking Jews because they are Jews within their vicinity.
Apartheid was a reality in SA. Experience it and its hardships.
It is only then that you will understand it. In our hearts of hearts we know Hashem will not allow such a State to prevail for ever and ever. So He crumbled it according to His Justice System. When are we going to learn?
Apartheid - Segregation - was also a reality in the US; but never in Israel.
I hope you’re right, but I have even less faith in people than I have in Gd.
A Rabbi originally from Scotland wrote in the Jewish Press, that the Economist is the most anti Semitic newspaper, you can find it might even be worst than the New York Times, they are both very anti Semitic and anti Israel
Can you explain on what basis he reached that conclusion?
When someone is anti Semitic they are against Jews and Israel and also against Hashem, this concept is written in Tehillim/ Psalms 83, and the prophets said before Moshiach comes the Jews will have a lot of trouble and worst things happening to them from Ismael, and other haters and useful idiots are also on this bandwagon, the was 9nce a song by Bob Dylan " the bully in the neighborhood" which sums up the concept too
My mom(obm) explained it differently when the Jews got the Torah on Mount Sinai, the others nations got jealous, and from this jealousy it turns into hate, that is why one of the 10 commandments is not be jealous and my mom( obm) said " that jealous and hate are twins" whenever someone is jealous of you, in the end they will start hating you, so in my opinion anti semitism stems from jealousy that turned into hate, but there are non Jews that like Jews and some non Jews even convert to Judaism, I read someplace I wonder if it is correct that Rabbi Akiva stems from Amelak, and sometimes other haters of Jewss become Jews themselves, I wonder what changed their mind, even though the Jews are small in number we contribute a lot to the world, most Nobel Prize winners are Jews,
No, most Nobel Prize winners are not Jews or of Jewish origins. Overall, about 8% of all of the prize winners are of Jewish origins and in the sciences and math, about 20% of those prizes go to Jews. What is unique is that we represent about 1 in 500 people, so we are about 0.2% of the population. We just achieve well above our proportion of the population. As to jealousy, your comments are probably correct.
Brilliant, thank you
Beautiful article, cleanly and effectively explained. I was never taught what it is to be a Jew until I was in my forties even though all the Jews around me thought they were doing just that. No one ever turned my attention to that absolutely unbreakable covenant God made with Israel at Sinai. Since I embraced it wholeheartedly, all the sudden antisemitism reared it's head toward me. Blessed are You Lord our God Who teaches Torah to Hisvpeople Israel!
After a life time in academia I have looked for an answer as to why the anti-Jewish element in western society. My decision is that the hatred really goes back to G-d and people not wanted to be told what they must do by following the Ten Commandments. There are all sorts of excuses but it is my belief that anti-Jew--anti-Israel is anti-G-d and a huge spiritual war between good and evil.
I heard that is why Hitler ( may his name be erased) hated Jews and wanted to make the world " Judenrein" ( free of Jews) and the Muslims want the same thing too, and both the Nazis( may their name be erased) the Muslim the grand mufti of Jerusalem came up with " final solution" to murder/ killed Jews, after the Holocaust there is a big rise of anti semitism and also being anti Israel and (anti zionism = anti semitism), this problem won't be solved I think until Moshiach comes unfortunately I hope I am wrong
My parents were Christians. The public schools I went to in Los Angeles 1950's-60's did not allow Christmas decorations because they said not everyone is Christian. We were taught to respect the unbelievers. These anti Israel protesters are disrespectful and ill mannered. It's very sad.
I absolutely agree! Fundamentally, Jew hatred is hatred of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is against the morality God called the Jewish nation to live. The closer the nation of Israel aligns with God's will, the sooner HaShem will intervene!!
I disagree. Jew hatred is not hatred of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael or Jacob. Careful thinking and education is required here.
Given that Jew-haters behave in a way opposite to that outlined by the Creator I doubt they have any real respect for the Creator.
Our vision is so dimmed. We just cant see the Non-Jew haters.
We also won't solve antisemitism unless we address the harm patriarchy has done since time began.
Economist Thomas Sowell has explained hatred of Jews very well and very simply, all one needs to do is put in as a search term "hate Jews Sowell" and you will find any number of occasions he has briefly in a video on YouTube explained the reason. Unfortunately the reason is sound and so there will always be such hatred. What to do about it is pretty much what you have suggested but nobody should expect significant progress, just toleration as the ultimate goal.
A bit on the Stockholm Syndrome side.
We also need to attack the Moslem fundamentalists as apartheid mongers with their Dhimmi and Jizya for non-Moslem "Kaffirs".
Islam is an imperial project that does nobody any good qv Koran 9.30 and others Mohammad might have been a monotheist prophet but he was also a successful warlord and his followers ran a government that stagnated especially since the 16th century - the 1500's and ceased to create progress.
Then there are the Koranic lies and defamation that Jews kill prophets and are apes.
No, unfortunately people like to hate what they do not understand. Or fear anything or anyone that is the least bit different. So all we can do as a whole and individual is educate the ones we come in contact with. We are nEVER going to change human nature but we can educate on a one to one basis.
I agree.