Israelis are often among the first to rush in to assist after crises or disasters anywhere in the world. One example is their offer to send a large number of doses of COVID vaccine to very poorly vaccinated African countries (“Israel to Send COVID Vaccines to Africa,” The Jewish Link, December 2, 2021).

It is sad that this humanitarian assistance is rarely highlighted in the media. In fact, most of the world still demonizes Israel, gives it little credit for its aid, and often accuses Israel and Jews of causing or contributing to the very crises they are trying to assist in. For example, out of a world population of 7.9 billion people, where 264 million people have been infected with the COVID virus and 5.2 million have died, the 14.7 million Jews, or only 0.2 % of the total world population, are often blamed as the cause of the pandemic. Of course, this is only the latest manifestation of the blood libel that has been continually circulating throughout history.

It is therefore even sadder, that throughout the pandemic, many American Jews themselves have contributed to perpetuating this damaging myth. I can recall many times in discussions with both frum and secular Jews that they bring up the names Lakewood or Monsey or Williamsburg, as if these relatively tiny communities numbering in the thousands are somehow epicenters or heavy contributors to the pandemic affecting the 7.9 billion world population.

To me it is infuriating to hear Jews echoing the same myths that the goyim have been accusing us of throughout history. One would think that after 5,000 years, Jews, who pride themselves as being so smart, would have learned their lesson. I guess they may not be as smart as they think they are, after all.