“Rather than trying to convince them not to hate us, let’s learn what it is we have so dear that they hate us for”
I truly enjoyed Rabbi Menachem Nissel’s Moonlight article in the Shavuos edition about the spiritual sources of anti-Semitism.
It was intriguing as well as deeply moving and profoundly relevant to our times. We try so hard to fight and prevent anti-Semitism, instead of accepting it as a fact of reality and a sign of the unique status we were given at Har Sinai.
The article reminded me of a recent statement from Shabbos Kestenbaum, a frum Harvard graduate and political activist whose stated mission is to combat anti-Semitism. He called upon philanthropists and charities to stop supporting galas, Holocaust museums, and fellowships combatting anti-Semitism. Instead, he argued, the money must go to ensure that every single Jewish child can afford a proper Jewish education. In short, rather than trying to convince them not to hate us, let’s learn what it is we have so dear that they hate us for, and truly appreciate it for the treasure it is.
Mindel Kassorla
The story about a son refusing to name his baby after his abusive father, despite his mother’s insistence, really touched a raw nerve with me, having been in a similar situation. Each time we were baruch Hashem blessed with a baby we had pressure as to what names we should be choosing. I felt that we as the young couple should choose the name as our parents had had their turn to name their own children. I had difficult pregnancies and births and to this day feel resentment toward my in-laws for pushing us at such a sensitive time.
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