12 Plagues of Antisemitism--JewBelong | Passover haggadah by Jennifer Wilck

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The Twelve Plagues of Antisemitism

This year we have strong, black coffee on our Seder table as a symbol for the Jewish community, and anyone who stands for justice and against hate, to wake up to the vicious rise in antisemitism. Many of our ancestors came here as refugees, worked hard and contributed to society so we could enjoy good lives. But something has shifted and the insidious nature of antisemitism is growing. Antisemitism has become normalized. Even if you have yet to experience it personally, keep reading because it may just be a matter of time. It was the “paranoid” Jews in Europe in the 1930s who survived. The good news is that it’s not too late to wake up and activate. Start now.

(Take turns reading the plagues aloud while everyone takes a sip of their coffee.)

Plague 1: Self-centered
“I’ve never experienced antisemitism, so how bad could it be?” Well, very. Even if you have not experienced it, your people have, your community has, your family has. Isn’t that enough? Frankly, antisemitism has become so normalized that you may not always notice it. Like when someone says Jews are cheap, or run the media, or that our community doesn’t need allies because we’re all white/privileged. That’s antisemitism.

Plague 2: Academia
43% of Jewish students in American colleges and universities have personally experienced antisemitism or witnessed antisemitic activity on campus. Enough said. We need to listen, learn and support our kids.

Plague 3: Webinars
There is a well-funded, professional antisemitism campaign masquerading as social justice. This organized effort working to promote antisemitism is flourishing. Yet too often the Jewish community wants to “educate” the problem away. But education only works when people are open minded. When people hate Jews, it is real and dangerous, and webinars alone can’t fix it.

Plague 4: Silence
From tucking your Star of David necklace into your t-shirt, to letting an antisemitic slur slide, to not using your platform for good – if we assimilate out of fear and abandon our Jewishness, the bigots win.

Plague 5: Inequity
Name the social cause and Jews are often standing out front supporting it. It’s outrageous that Jews are unwelcome by some progressive groups. While a basic Jewish value is to improve the world, it is important that Jews support the Jewish community, too. Standing up for others more than ourselves isn’t the answer.

Plague 6: Instagram
Not everyone needs to be a Middle East expert, but getting information from social media influencers on a complex geopolitical situation is not the way to go. We must elevate experts with the credentials to accurately discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rather than blindly trusting influencers and celebrities.

Plague 7: Narrow-mindedness
It is entirely possible to stand for the humanity of both Palestinians and Israelis. We do not need to be pro anything except pro-peace.

Plague 8: Politics
Politicians on the far right and left are using the Jewish community as a political football because it plays well with their radical biases. But, this isn’t a game and we aren’t political pawns. We must depoliticize antisemitism.

Plague 9: Blame
When antisemitic crimes take place against Orthodox Jews who are visibly Jewish, the reaction is often, “Well, they asked for it.” Since when is being outwardly Jewish “asking for it?” This perpetuates an atmosphere of fear. Jews are not responsible for the hate that is targeted against us.

Plague 10: “Who’s the better Jew?”
This is a game with no winners. Please stop judging other Jews for how they practice. Everyone is on their own Jewish journey, from those with no Jewish education to the most observant at the table. We make each other stronger.

Honorable Mentions:

Plague 11: Horns
We put out a request for personal experiences of antisemitism and received so many similar responses that we categorized them and created a booklet called Horns, You Killed Jesus, Pennies: Your Antisemitism Stories. (It’s on JewBelong.com in the Antisemitism section.)

Plague 12: Only Playing Defense
Athletes know that it’s more fun to play offense than defense. Same with being Jewish! Fighting antisemitism is hard, but being a proud Jew? That is a joy! There is a reason that the Jewish people have survived for thousands of years. Stay on the offensive. Be proud, loud and continue to use Jewish values as a touchstone in this very troubled world.

haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues