From the desk of Rabbi Yosef Sanders:
The [Country Shul] Rabbi and the Priest
(Priest-in-training, that is!)
Miguel Garcia, a senior at a Catholic High School in Aurora, asked for a telephone interview this week regarding my thoughts on anti - Semitism. What follows is a transcript of the substance of the conversation, to my recollection:
MG: What is the essential difference in belief between Christianity and Judaism?
RYS: Although I am far from an expert in comparative religions, IMHO, the difference is that Judaism proclaims belief in the One God, Who does not take the form of man or any physical being.
MG: So Judaism teaches that JC is not God?
RYS: Judaism does not study JC per se. Judaism teaches that God does not take any physical form.
MG: In your opinion, what is the motive behind acts of anti-Semitism?
RYS: Hatred of Jews has lodged itself in the hearts of those who perpetrate this evil.
MG: And what is the basis for their hate?
RYS: There is no rational basis; they have not arrived at these feelings based on their own judgements. It is others' suggestions that have been accepted.
MG: How did they come to accept others' views?
RYS: These "others" were in leadership positions. By nature, the power of leadership has a strong influence on the masses. (Note that the U.S. Presidency has long been called a "bully pulpit", for this reason.)
Pope Gregory IX's Decretals in 1234 canonized "the doctrine of perpetua servitus iudaeorum – perpetual servitude of the Jews. According to this, Jews would have to remain in a condition of political servitude and abject humiliation until Judgment Day. The doctrine then found its way into the doctrine of servitus camerae imperialis, or servitude immediately subject to the Emperor's authority, promulgated by Frederick II." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_IX_and_Judaism)
Relegating any segment of a population to inferior status is asking for mistreatment of said segment.
Promulgations by recognized leadership such as this, canonized by the Church, the highest and most respected moral authority in its time, and made into the law of the land, gave the masses license to mistreat this People.
Hundreds of years of living under this powerful influence are not easily reversed, and thus these attitudes live on to this day. Although the Church declared in 1965 that the Jewish People cannot be held responsible for JC's death, and condemned any and all forms of abuse, anti-Semitism rages on...
Just one example of this is that, at the same time in 1965, the Church withdrew the status of martyrdom of Simon of Trent, repudiating the blood libel accusations that had served as a catalyst for countless instigations of anti-Semitic acts. Yet here we are today, over 50 years later, and www.stsimonoftrent.com openly states that this child was killed by Jews.
MG: To what do you attribute the recent rise in anti-Semitic activity in North America?
RYS: It has been suggested that this is also a function of following the example that leadership demonstrates. The leader of the western world today communicates in unorthodox fashion, and feels free to express himself any way he chooses, essentially broadcasting an approach of, "who cares what anyone else says, I'm going to be myself and go my own road", etc. Although one might argue that this is done in the spirit of polemics, aimed at the political debate, and is not meant to be understood in a personal sense, these broadcasts nevertheless seem to resonate with those who harbor unorthodox and socially unacceptable values, and fail to grasp the nuance of fierce political rhetoric vs personal grievance. Considering themselves kindred spirits, they thus permit themselves to do as they please, feeling emboldened to disregard the social norms that typically inhibit open expressions of hatred.
MG: Do you feel that anti-Semitism is a result of religious disagreement or blood libels?
RYS: Religious disagreement in and of itself does not have to lead to one party killing the other. This happens only because the party in the position of power denies the other party the human right to worship according to their own choice.
So it really comes down to the basic issue of human rights abuse.
Once the human rights were denied, and the denial was enshrined by the leadership in power, the abuse cascaded on from there, to, among other things, the blood libel, which certainly served as a further catalyst for further anti-Semitic oppression and persecution.
But it all originates in the leadership in power denying the basic human right of freedom of worship to the Jewish People.
MG: Is there anything else you wish to share on the subject?
RYS: I would emphasize that the influence of leadership goes both ways, and positive stances taken by leadership have great power to control these types of hatred and bigotry.
Leadership today, and especially in Canada, has taken significant steps to battle anti-Semitism. In 2016, the federal government declared May as national Jewish Heritage Month. I, personally, was invited by the local York District School Board to an Israeli flag-raising ceremony this year.
In April this year, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister, responded to an act of antisemitism by asking German citizens to don Kipa's and protest. And thousands did.
These statements send strong messages to the public and have the capacity to set the tone of a country's level of tolerance of anti-Semitism.
Bottom line, it is the moral values of a society that govern the level of tolerance to others in the public discourse. And those who are in a position to impact their spheres of influence have the responsibility to convey messages of goodwill to all mankind.
MG: Thank you, Rabbi, for taking the time to answer my questions.
RYS: You're very welcome, Miguel, and please feel free to call if you have any reason to in the future!
Shabbat Shalom,
Yosef Sanders
