'The more we can build Jewish identity, the stronger we’ll be to fight antisemitism'

Speaking at a panel on antisemitism at the Jpost Miami Summit, Ilan Frydman from KKL-JNF’s Education and Community Division ,said that the organization’s numerous education programs on antisemitism serve to build and develop Jewish identity. 

“We have to fill the lack of identity by building deep, strong roots that will care about the nation, that will care about Israel, will know where we're coming from, and will know how to answer the questions,” he said.

Frydman contrasted the upcoming Hanukkah holiday with that of Purim. “On Purim, they tried to kill us, but they didn’t succeed. On Hanukkah, they didn't try to kill us. They tried to get us to assimilate. They tried to change our opinions about things. They tried to make us think differently about how we act, and act differently.”

Brian Siegal, AJC Miami and Broward Regional Director, explained that the roots of the American Jewish Committee date from the Kishinev pogrom in 1906, which led to the organization’s founding. He said that even before October 7, antisemitism  was increasing. “When we think about antisemitism before October 7, things were already pretty horrible.If you look at the hate crime statistics of the FBI and see that American Jews constitute 2% of the population, and yet we make up 64% of all religiously based hate crimes, that should tell you something.”

Siegal pointed out that even before October 7, one in four American Jews reported that they had been the personal targets of antisemitism. What is more frightening, he added, is that the AJC must now combat the normalization of antisemitism and Jew-hatred.  

Antisemitism, he explained is much more than a parochial Jewish issue. “Our jobs –  and I think a lot of these people in this room are fighting this battle – is to help our society understand that antisemitism is not just an existential threat to the Jewish community, but to our entire society.”  

Brooke Goldstein, human rights attorney, founder and executive director of the Lawfare Project, and author of “End Jew Hatred - A Manual for Mobilization,” said, “If  you are against hatred against blacks or hatred against gays or hatred against Muslims and you're not against hatred against Jews, then you are the bigot.”

Goldstein explained that while hatred is an emotion, no one is born with Jew hatred. “No child is born hating Jews,” she pointed out. “This is a product of a systemic indoctrination program that teaches children. The jihad and the intifada has now come to our college campuses where they're radicalizing students. This is intentional. And if we combine grassroots mobilization with civil rights impact litigation, we will be able to end Jew-hatred in our lifetime. Because we will be imposing consequences for the behavior that we don't want to see. That is the key.” 

Michal Gerstler, Head of Communications and Government Relations for El Al Israel Airlines, outlined the airline’s actions in the wake of recent antisemitism and anti-Israel events, including the emergency flights from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv that El Al organized following the attacks on Israeli soccer fans. Given the extraordinary circumstances, El Al was permitted to fly the Israelis back on Shabbat, after receiving permission from Israel’s chief rabbis. “This shows that El Al is a company that has a very strong connection to Israel, and that's why we have the Israeli flag on the tails of our planes.”

Gerstler also described the airline’s emergency flights bringing back reservists to Israel after October 7, as well as relatives of injured soldiers. “We're bringing lone soldiers,” she said. “We reunite them with their families. We're working very closely with the hostage's family forum, and we’re making sure that we'll be able to get to all of their diplomatic missions at the UN.”

Ayelet Gonen Brosh of the Brosh Real Estate Group, concluded the panel, pointing out that many parents of lone soldiers who have completed their IDF service and have decided to stay in Israel are interested in purchasing  apartments for their children in the center of the country. In many cases, she added, they would like to purchase a property that will not only be suitable for their children, but for them as well, for future visits and possible Aliyah. She conceded that while apartment prices in Israel are high, the prices will continue to rise. “I recommend that people who are considering purchasing an apartment in Israel do so now,” she said. “Act before it is too late.”

KKL-JNF, AJC, El Al, Brooke Goldstein, and the Brosh Real Estate Group sponsored a portion of the Jerusalem Post Miami Summit.