Anti-semitism - Humanity Amongst A Tragedy, By Lior Barron

My name is Lior Barron, I am a student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a Canadian Campus Media Fellow with HonestReporting Canada.

Antisemitism, also known as the world’s oldest prejudice or hatred toward Jews, seems to know no bounds, nor boundary. What historically started as a disagreement over religious principles has turned into a deliberate strategy of exclusion, dehumanization, and attempted annihilation of the Jewish people. Antisemitism’s origins didn't start during the Nazi era and unfortunately, it didn't end with the conclusion of World War II. It has been ongoing and has become increasingly common today.  

Yaakov Israel Paley, 6, Asher Menachem Paley, 8, and Alter Shlomo Laderman, 20, were waiting for a bus to take them home in Jerusalem on February 10, 2023, when a Palestinian terrorist intentionally crashed his car into the bus stop. Sadly, all three of them later passed away as a result of the injuries they suffered from the car-ramming attack. This was no accident; out of hatred, someone purposefully got into a vehicle and targeted innocent Jewish lives. While news outlets follow the dictum that “If it bleeds it leads,” where was the media coverage about the murder of these three young Jewish Israelis? While searching for articles on this matter, sources such as CBS News called this tragedy an “incident,” or an “accident,” but the words “terrorist attack” were never once used to describe premeditated violence which serves to target innocents for political purposes.

We are aware that antisemitism is on the rise, but the media fails in its duty to honestly report and inform the public about this matter. As a result, celebrities like Ye (Kanye West) escape punishment for their antisemitic behavior because the general public is not well-informed. In 2021, the number of antisemitic incidents hit a record high and it's only worsened since then. Social media has contributed to the proliferation of hate crimes by enabling extremist organizations to broadcast their messages and, inevitably, attract new members to join their destructive pursuits against Jews. Social media platforms like Tiktok and Twitter are particularly plagued with antisemitism, with no regulation and little or no repercussions for xenophobes. These platforms continue to spread hate against Jews and enable violent acts to increase on social media and in everyday life by refusing to outlaw and remove hateful comments posted by individuals toward Jews. Ultimately, our biggest fear is that online hatred will turn into real-world violence. This is especially troubling given that younger people are using these platforms. All of this harkens us back to the recent attack in Israel, where the media was, unfortunately, trying to change the story's narrative while also spreading disinformation to millions of people worldwide. By allowing the media to continue labeling these crimes as mishaps rather than intentional hate crimes, we are allowing antisemitism to become normalized and weaponized.

The concerning rise of antisemitism threatens the security and safety of the Jewish population around the world and affects everyone as it diminishes peace and allows the proliferation of hate and the violation of basic human rights. We must fight antisemitism together as a community and put a stop to prejudice against Jews. It is crucial to inform those who are ignorant, as well as to point out the risks of disseminating anti-Jewish crimes, especially in schools. People can recognize antisemitism as a problem and address and halt acts of violence, whether they occur in person or on social media when they are properly informed about the history and hatred against the Jewish people. Creating educational initiatives for all institutions will help people learn more about the subject. Hate crime legislation is crucial, in order to appropriately punish those who commit hate crimes, whether done in person or on social media platforms. People will be more reluctant to commit offenses if they are aware of the consequences, therefore serving as a powerful deterrent for Jew hatred. Crimes against Jews are increasing and we must work to put a stop to them while also remembering those who have died as a result of terrorist attacks that are rooted in hate.