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What it's Like to Be Jewish in the
US
After Oct. 7 Adam, our youngest, had a Black friend of his call him to ask "What is it like for you to be Jewish in the US right now?"
She explained she knew nothing about it and she trusted Adam would not be offended as she searched for the truth about what was going on. He told John about his conversation.
I started to think that most of you have no clue what it's like for us, not just since Oct.7 & but also before Oct. 7.
Well here's my attempt to share that with you.
What I am sharing is not up for debate or attempting to prove me wrong or make me feel better about it.
First of all, I have been discriminated against for being Jewish ALL MY LIFE.
I made the best of the discrimination but it has been an issue ALL MY LIFE.
Some early instances include being seated in the back of a classroom in elementary school cause the teacher had a "color seating chart"
I was in the last row with the black students who proved to be great seat mates and friends.
Being chased to Hebrew School after school on Mondays and Wednesdays being taunted with "dirty Jew" and "Christ Killer"
Thank you Clark Brothers I learned to run fast!
Not being able to attend my best friends birthday party because it was held at The Trenton Country Club which had a No Jews allowed rule (even 8 year old Jews). Having to listen to her explain why that was Ok and we would still be best friends. That was it for me on that friendship!
Those are only a few examples of a lifetime of discrimination. I haven't even gotten to my teen years when guys told me they couldn't dance with me let alone date me because I was a Jewess that could "cast a spell" on them and they would then give up their Christianity as part of the spell. Wow Christianity, I thought, must be easy to give up if I can make
some guy give it up by dancing with them?
Or the girl who looked in my hair for my horns. Yea that was fun!
John asked Adam what he told his friend and he said something like, we're fine when they need something from us but when they don't we're expendable.
I give Adam's friend a lot of credit for asking him and I am proud of Adam for having friends like her.
But lets fast forward to my 30's and 40's when folks in your corporations called your Jewish counterparts things like"The Rabbi" and other such terms. And your corporations wouldn't promote them cause they just don't "fit in" Really?? Sound familiar. By the way does your company have a Jewish Affinity group??? I bet not.
More importantly I'd like to ask you when you go to your Church do you have to wait for the bomb sniffing dogs to clear the sanctuary? When you and your family choose a pew to sit in do you need to assess how close to an exit it is and whether or not you can get your children out unhurt if need be?
Do you need to hire armed guards for your Church and do you need to go through a metal detector to pray??
That's what Jews and Muslims in the US have to do now.
I have worked for Women's Equality (and Racial Equality) all my life marching, demonstrating and donating untold amounts of money for this cause.
To have those very same organizations like #MeToo & NOW not renounce the rape of Jewish Women and Men on Oct. 7 and after is unforgivable. Yes they were repeatedly raped in captivity as well. I will not forget it the next time I am asked to participate and donate.
My community now has it's own saying #MeToo unless your a Jew
I'll leave you with that and a request you do something when you see or hear antisemitism around you. That's the least you can do.
Susan
(Shifrah Esther)
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