The New Anti-Semite

Opportunity and success make Jews more visible.

Bigotry and anti-Semitism are still socially acceptable in the nineteenth century, part of a heritage for some people. It is becoming more common for the anti-Semite to be unable to relate his hatred with the religion of his Jewish neighbor because the neighbor has departed from Jewish tradition. He can more easily relate his feelings with the Jew that has long earlocks and a black hat because that Jew has no chance of being his competitor.

Few see it at this moment, but that rather than being a cure for anti-Semitism, assimilation is exacerbating it.

The world is rapidly changing and the old order is crumbling. Empires based upon capital replace those based upon royalty. Labor unions assert their muscle. Families uproot, move to cities, and begin to disintegrate. Instead of being respected, religion is tolerated. Loyalty is strained. The economic and political climate is uncertain. The industrious and upwardly mobile Jew is blamed for the instability.

The old anti-Semite was contained by his religion. The new one scorns religion. Some go so far as to blame Jews for the existence of Christianity, wildly claiming that it is was mechanism that Jews invented to infect the world with their beliefs.

The new anti-Semite proclaims: "Our race is noble. Jews are weak and have no right to exist. Jews are a virus."

Russian pogroms continue. They are now well publicized by new media technologies.

The Czarist government fabricates a ritual kidnapping and blame a Jew named Mendel Bailis. The prosecution fumbles it.

France loses a major war and deals with the disgrace by blaming the defeat on a Jew named Dreyfus. He is eventually exonerated and brought back from Devil’s Island.

Some hope that education and idealism will help Western Civilization grow out of this.

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In Loving Memory Of Our Father, Mr. Joseph Black (Yosef Ben Zelig) O"H In Loving Memory Of Our Mother, Mrs. Norma Black (Nechama Bas Tzvi Hirsh) O"H

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