The shooting massacre at a Chanukah party on Bondi Beach in Sidney, Australia, which killed 15 people and wounded 40, reminded us once again that there is Evil in the World. One of the manifestations of Evil is anti-semitism, a disease of the mind that comes in various forms, the most dangerous being committing violence.
The first recorded incident of anti-Semitism was Amalekites attacking the Israelites from behind as they exited Egypt (Exodus 17:5-16).
There are too many tragic incidents to enumerate here. These come immediately to my mind: The 1066 Granada Spain Massacre, the Inquisition, the Damascus Syria Blood Libel Affair of 1840, France’s Dreyfus Affair of 1894-1906, the publication of the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” in 1903, the Odessa Pogrom of 1905, the Lynching of Leo Frank in 1915, the Holocaust era of 1933-1945, Kielce Poland Pogrom of 1946, the Shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018, the Oct.7, 2023, attacks in Israel and the DC Jewish Museum shooting of May 2025.
During the last 10 years in the US, anti-Semitic incidents have increased 893%. Those on the left believe the danger is from the right. Those on the right think the danger is from the left. The reality is that Jew hatred comes from the right and left and in-between.
How do we solve this crisis? If you have an idea on how to accomplish that goal, please offer it to an organization whose main mission is to combat anti-Semitism. Consider donating and/or volunteering time and effort to organizations that combat anti-Semitism.
We can’t allow Evil to Triumph.
Bob Schneider
Cincinnati, OH
