The rise in anti-Semitism, and anti-Israel protests around the world, especially on college campuses and the limited and ineffectual response, is a litmus test for a broader shift that we need to be paying attention to.
Sadly, when American Jewish parents send their children off to college, these students often are confronted by a deeply embedded anti-Semitic and anti-Israel environment that is profoundly disturbing and can even turn violent.
How did this state of affairs come to exist on our college and university campuses, and what can be done about it?
We all know that Jew hatred, anti-Semitic vitriol, and the violent oppression of Jews, have existed for thousands of years. In the United States, there have been two periods during the past 100 years when popular movements were defined by anti-Semitic ideology and aligned with undemocratic regimes. We are in one of those periods today.
The first period encompasses the era between the two World Wars. The rapid increase in the immigration of Jews into the United States after 1900 eventually exposed an anti-Semitic backlash among certain elements of American society. Examples are the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, and the popularity of anti-Semitic speakers such as Father Charles Coughlin and his “Christian Front,” using the “new” technology of radio to spread anti-Semitic hatred. These elements associated Jews with the so-called international conspiracy involving financial control. In the early 1930s, the German American Bund, an organization of ethnic Germans living in the United States, was founded by Fritz Kuhn, a notorious anti-Semite. It was based on the ideals of ethnic purity and support for Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany and promoted anti-Semitic propaganda. By 1939, it had approximately 25,000 members, although its message and influence extended nationally. It indoctrinated multitudes of Americans through publications, organized numerous rallies and established summer camps for children in support of Nazi Germany and anti-Semitic ideology. Taken together, these anti-Semitic leaders and groups had a tremendous influence on the American attitude toward Jews. Even though this was of concern to the U.S. government, their activities were constitutionally protected under the freedom of expression.
This wave of American anti-Semitism faded from public view in the wake of WWII, the horrors of the Holocaust, and the establishment of the State of Israel. However, starting in the 1970’s, a new style of anti-Semitism appeared, based on a distortion of the ideas behind the U.S. civil rights movement and the so-called “international liberation” movements. Initially, this took the form of a critique of Israel’s conduct toward the Arab population in Israel and in the Palestinian territory, commonly known as the West Bank and Gaza. This critique was supported by the United Nations, which equated Zionism with racism while ignoring human rights atrocities in many other areas such as Iran, Rwanda and Sudan.
During this period, Arab and Muslim Countries made huge donations to numerous American Universities which enabled them to have an influence on Middle Eastern Studies programs and control of the curriculum and narrative. At the same time, racist books – Mein Kampf, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and the International Jew – were being translated into Arabic and disseminated throughout the Muslim and Arab World. These books presented anti-Semitic conspiracy theories coopted by Arab and Muslim anti-Semitism from European Christian anti-Semitism. These conspiracy theories draw their legitimacy in the Arabic and Muslim world from ancient Islamic and Christian texts and beliefs that Jews are devious and malicious enemies of G-d.
The conspiracy theories gave credence to Iran and its fanatical proxies, Hezballah and Hamas, and legitimized the demonization of Jews found in Islamic tradition. They would also justify their goal of annihilating Jews. The Mullahs have stated emphatically that one of their goals is the annihilation of Israel. Likewise, the Hamas Charter states explicitly that the annihilation of Israel is its primary goal.
With Muslim and Arab funding of American universities and Middle Eastern Studies Programs, the Arabic countries influenced what was taught. Students became indoctrinated with pro-Arab, Palestinian and anti-Israel narratives. Ultimately, these narratives influenced the academic institutions and how they understood and perceived the Middle East.
According to Steven Emerson of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, in the 1990’s two organizations were founded by the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States that contributed to anti-Semitism and anti-Israel hatred. They were designed to promote Hamas’s radical ideology and perpetuate anti-Israel hatred and anti-Semitism.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was founded in 1994. It claims that it is a civil rights advocacy group acting on behalf of American Muslims. CAIR is the political and diplomatic wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. Its primary goal is to advance the Hamas agenda in the United States. Through deception and propaganda, it has gained a prominent role in influencing Congressional members that Israel is an “apartheid State” that has been committing “genocide” against the Palestinian people. Any criticism of CAIR and its message is considered “Islamophobic,” a term they fabricated to prevent any revelation of their connection to Hamas or any exposure of terrorist activity in the United States.
Students for Justice of Palestine (SJP), the second entity founded by the Muslim Brotherhood, is a radical student organization with chapters on approximately 100 colleges throughout the United States. SJP supports Hamas’s goals of annihilating Israel and supports Palestinian terrorism. From its inception, it has perpetuated anti-Semitic rhetoric and anti-Israel hatred with demonstrations harassing and assaulting Jewish students. It has conspired to cancel pro-Israel speakers with violent protests or by loudly interrupting the speakers. There is nothing pro-Palestinian about this organization nor does it attempt to improve the lives of normal Palestinians.
Much as with the earlier impact of anti-Semitic radio broadcasts, the arrival of the internet and social media enabled anti-Semitic tropes and disinformation to become easily disseminated, gaining power through repetition, thus influencing millions of teenagers and college-age students who rely on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more recently TikTok for information and news.
More recently, the murder of George Floyd in 2020 led to major protests and reflected a shift in American attitudes. Progressives believed that White America did not value Black lives, and something had to be done. American Society was considered racist; America, its history, its constitution, and values were said to be based on a White man’s paradigm and discriminated against Blacks, Hispanics, and people of color.
In the meantime, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs were introduced and expanded through all levels of American society. In theory, such programs could be viewed as beneficial and supportive of the rights of all historically oppressed peoples, including Jews. Unfortunately, the Progressive paradigm, dividing people into Oppressors and the Oppressed, has typically been applied to designate Jews as the Oppressor, because they allegedly had “White Privilege”, and to designate Israel, a “White Nation”, as an Oppressor of the Palestinian population. This, despite the fact that Jews have historically been among the most oppressed people in the world and have always stood for individual dignity and the elimination of prejudice and bias of any kind, and that Israel is a beacon of democracy in the Near East region.
The October 7 massacre exposed the anti-Semitic prejudices previously cloaked as anti-Israel criticism. No distinction was now made between Jews and Israel. There was an outpouring of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel venom at many universities. Muslim organizations and academics celebrated Hamas’s slaughter of Israelis, sexual violence, beheadings, the maiming of innocent people and the taking of hostages. Concern for the treatment of the Israeli hostages was muted. Jewish students were and continue to be intimidated, harassed, assaulted and fearful for their lives.
Taking advantage of this chaos, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has inserted itself into this culture war through its control of TikTok and other social media platforms, by disseminating anti-Semitic vitriol. The CCP is attempting to cause further chaos and divisiveness in America society, by claiming that Jews, in their incestuous ties to Israel, control the banking system, media, government officials and Congress. These outrageous lies that Jews control the US government and wealth are intended to disrupt any trust in the United States, its democratic institutions, and democracy internationally.
In response to the numerous anti-Semitic actions occurring on campuses, legal actions have been taken against universities for their violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq. Lawsuits, and even further legislation, to support civil behavior with rules and regulations will not guarantee a change in destructive attitudes or beliefs.
It is likewise futile to debate or even to educate on the accurate and legal definitions of terms that have come to shape our way of thinking, our opinions and emotional responses. Progressives and ideologues have coopted and mischaracterized terminology that are intended to be the opposite of meaning and reality. Painfully, a lie said numerous times become facts. Terms such as occupation, apartheid, genocide, settlements, and colonization have been distorted and corrupted to obtain a negative and subversive outcome.
There is an urgency to adapt to the present toxic environment of demonstrations, protests and attacks that have become pervasive in the United States and abroad using innovative forms of communicating reality.
Telling the stories that illustrate the conduct and beliefs of individuals in real life will reveal and distinguish societies that are based on human dignity, respect and individual rights.
Contrast the lives of average citizens in Israel with those that live in Gaza.
Israelis enjoy freedom of religion, freedom of movement, freedom of thought and speech, freedom of expression and freedom to own and sell property. Muslims have the same rights as Jews.
Under Islamic rule that is found in Gaza and within Palestinian districts, Jews are unwelcomed and can’t own property. Muslims must illustrate allegiance to Hamas under threat of death. They can be killed for being gay. They can be killed for disavowing Islam and for converting to Christianity. And they are taught from early childhood to consider Jews as subhuman and their enemy.
Producing a television series or movie whose plot revolves around the anti-Jewish prejudices in America is worthwhile. The power of drama to illustrate serious ideas and influence attitudes and behavior is enormous, particularly when it is distributed widely.
I sincerely hope that you, the reader, are willing to join me in creating real solutions rather than complaining about the problem. We will make a difference.
You can reach me at mengelberg@thecjf.org.
Dr. Michael Engelberg
Founder and President
The Center for Justice and Freedom
