Commit to ‘being a source of light’ amid global rise in antisemitism

Earlier this week, I was honored to represent my Jewish community at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, and across the Commonwealth, at the No Fear rally in response to the global rise in antisemitism, outside the Capitol Building in Washington DC.

I joined Elisha Wiesel, Meghan McCain, and Rabbi Shlomo Noginsky, the rabbi who was recently brutally attacked in Boston, alongside a dozen other national leaders.

Despite the oppressive heat, nearly 3,000 people gathered in a strong rejection of hate, and a commitment to Jewish pride, solidarity, and to being a source of light.

When I addressed the crowd, I said the following.

“Shalom UVracha, greetings and blessings my friends!

Thank you all for being here today. We know the reason we have gathered is not a new one.

Antisemitism or Jew-Hatred is the world’s oldest hatred since the days of Lavan and Amalek, but history has also taught us an answer to hatred.

To be a proud Jew.

When I arrived in Washington this morning I spoke to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch, and a tireless advocate for the Jewish people around the world, from right here in DC. Rabbi Shemtov couldn’t be here today due to a memorial service for a congregant but he reminded me of a teaching of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, my personal mentor and the foremost Jewish leader of the modern era.

The Rebbe taught:

‘A common albeit faulty reaction to antisemitism is to promote assimilation. The assumption is that Antisemitic sentiments arise as a result of the Jewish Community being so different and eccentric, and if we could only hide our Jewishness and blend in society the thinking goes, the acceptance will be forthcoming.

‘History, especially recent events, sadly disapprove this line of thinking. As much as our enemies hate Jews who are different and religious, they hate the assimilated Jew even more.’

The Rebbe concluded that we should never be embarrassed and never attempt to hide our identity. We can only fool ourselves, the world knows who we are regardless. You might as well wear it proudly.”

The Rebbe said these words in 1960, but they are as true today as they were then. The first step to combat hate is to show up and make your voices heard. You’ve done that today.

But our response cannot end here today. Our response to those who want to harm Jews is not God forbid to turn away from our Judaism but to engage in our Judaism. To participate in Jewish life, to wrap Tefillin, to light Shabbos candles, to hang a Mezuzah on our doors, to support Jewish Education and Jewish communities, and to stand up for Jews whether locally, around the world, and especially in the land of Israel the land which God’s eye rests upon from the first day of the year to the last day of the year.

We come together today in response to hate, but our response is a message of light.

We commit today to continue being sources of light, to continue engaging in our faiths, to have no fear and to not falter, because when light enters, darkness is naturally dispersed. We must continue this effort until the ultimate revealing of light and banishment of darkness, with the coming of Moshiach.

Thank you for being here today. Please keep it up tomorrow.”

I spent the rest of the day helping more than 50 Jewish men wrap tefillen and speaking to leaders from other states, who are seeking to match the progress Kentucky has made in combating Jew hatred, from Holocaust Education, to Anti-BDS Legislation to the adoption of the IHRA Definition, the Jewish communities baseline description of how antisemitism presents itself today.

I ultimately left the rally uplifted. There are vast concerns we need to address, but we have the will and the tools to flourish.

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin is executive director of Chabad of the Bluegrass.