Threats to American democracy, abortion rights, security funding to keep Jewish institutions safe, support for the vulnerable and Israel are all issues Jewish voters are considering when they head to the polls on November 8, but the No. 1 concern among communal leaders surveyed was halting the troubling rise in antisemitism.
Antisemitic incidents rose to an all-time high nationally in 2021, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit, with a total 2,717 reported incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism representing a 34% increase over the previous year.
The Jewish community is not immune from the divisions that have plagued the general American electorate. The Jewish Link reached out to a handful of synagogue presidents about issues on the minds of congregants, but none would comment, citing the charged nature of current politics.
However, others involved with the Jewish community spoke about concerns, some reflecting the community’s recollection of historical repercussions of societal antisemitism in light of current unprecedented online threats and physical attacks from fringe groups.
While noting the American Jewish Committee is “fiercely nonpolitical,” its New Jersey director, Rabbi David Levy, said, “The American Jewish community has thrived in an atmosphere committed to democracy,” and preserving that democracy was crucial for all Americans regardless of political views.
“We hope all candidates respond to the challenges in a way that benefits all of us,” said Rabbi Levy, adding those challenges include providing for Israel’s security and support of the Abraham Accords, as well as how to stem rising antisemitism.
Linda Scherzer, director of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest’s Jewish Community Relations Committee, said the federation has held two candidates nights, one featuring incumbent Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican challenger Paul DeGroot in the 11th Congressional District, and the other with incumbent Democrat Tom Malinowski and Republican challenger Tom Kean Jr. in the 7th Congressional District.
While Scherzer said issues important to the local community may not reflect the overall national Jewish community, chief concerns were increased antisemitism, threats to American democracy and the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which has limited abortion rights.
While the federation has helped its own cause by securing security grants for its institutions, Scherzer said it was looking for politicians to “stand shoulder to shoulder with us whether in repudiating a swastika in a high school bathroom or repudiating anti-Israel criticism on college campuses that often crosses the line into antisemitism.”
Alana Burman, director of the Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, also listed antisemitism as being high on the list of concerns, along with security and food and housing issues faced by the most at-risk members of both the Jewish community and their neighbors.
Because so many community members in its catchment area send their children to day school, equitable funding and access to resources for students is also a concern for the local community, said Burman, adding, “I don t know any Jewish person who isn’t concerned every day about antisemitism.”
Liran Kapoano, an East Brunswick resident active in local Jewish organizations, said as antisemitism ramps up, he believes the Jewish community has to put aside its “red team-blue team” mentality and unite to counter the threat.
“It’ not limited to one political party, but things have changed in the last six or seven years with the increase in right-wing antisemitism,” he said. “For me personally I am very concerned that the community has been slow to recognize this increase.”
Kapoano, who founded a pro-Israel advocacy group while a Rutgers University student as the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel was just beginning to gain traction, said the situation got worse around 2010 when the Jewish student community reacted with skepticism to his warnings as left-wing antisemitism concerning Israel ratcheted up.
However, Kapoano said the current situation has taken an even more ominous turn, noting that the right-wing threats are “a different animal,” fueled by racist and anathematic conspiracy groups like QAnon, the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, and the response also should be different.
“With this antisemitism there have been actual attacks,” he said. “In 2010 the left-wing Jewish organizations were not taking the threat seriously. Now it’s the right-wing Jewish organizations that aren’t taking the threat seriously.
“These people [QAnon, etc.] aren’t complaining about Israel, settlements or BDS. These people don’t believe Jews should be in America. Those people [The Goyim Defense League] who hung that banner over the highway in Los Angeles saying, ‘Honk if you approve of Kanye West’ don’t oppose Israel. They would prefer it if all Jews went to Israel. These people are neo-Nazi antisemitic fascists.”
Kapoano said that Jews, because of their long history of being victimized by antisemitism and persecution by authoritarian governments, have a unique cultural perspective. He recalled growing up Orthodox and being taunted by other youngsters when wearing a suit and kippah on Shabbat.
He added that the number of conspiracy theories circulating in recent years, including vaccination and election fraud, should also alarm the Jewish community. “The guy who tried to kill Nancy Pelosi’s husband is an antisemite who posted conspiracy theories online,” Kapoano said. “Almost every conspiracy theory at its heart is almost always centered on a Jewish cabal. It has been shown time and again throughout the world that when conspiracy theories proliferate there is always an increase in antisemitism.”
These theories range from 9/11 being blamed on Mossad to “false flag” shootings to Kanye West saying that Jews control the media and that they “have owned the Black voice.”
While there are politicians on the left spouting anti-Israel lies and antisemitism, Kapoano said he feels that they are not advocating or perpetrating violence against Jews.
“The people who believe these conspiracy theories are the people with 50-60 guns and rifles and we saw what happened in Poway and Pittsburgh,” he said about the synagogue attacks that left 12 dead and scores injured and placed Jewish institutions on high alert. Kapoano said he finds the “incredible tolerance for these activities that was previously unheard-of in political circles” to be disconcerting.
“We don’t want to hear they support Jews,” he said. “We want to hear that they have stopped courting these fringe groups that are out-and-out fascists to get their votes. We want to hear them get out of this fantasy world of the last two years and stop all these conspiracy theories about elections and vaccines. We should not tolerate that from anybody.
“It doesn’t matter who you supported in the past or even if you agree with part of their message, because this never ends without spilling over to the Jewish community. Never in the history of the world where a democracy went to conspiracy theories did it not end up hurting the Jews. ”
“When Jews are being attacked it should be a wakeup call for society,” said Kapoano. “There are plenty of bad politicians on the other side [the left] who are hostile to Jews as well. We shouldn’t tolerate politicians who separate good Jews from bad Jews. We shouldn’t let any non-Jewish politician tell us what is acceptable to be a Jewish person. We can’t sit around and let either side make us a negotiating tool. And I say that as someone whose grandparents endured the lowest depths of the Holocaust.”
Kapoano’s Sephardi father’s family was driven from Spain during the Inquisition and finally settled in Greece for many generations before the Holocaust, while his mother’s side kept moving throughout Eastern Europe. His parents moved from Israel to the United States, where Kapoano was born.
“I am American, and I am done uprooting, and I’m done with my family history of being nomads,” he said. “I’m tired of running and always feeling like we have to flee to another country where we are going to be safe.”
By Debra Rubin
