I used to be lately sitting in my bed room on a bunch Facetime chat with my fellow Jewish pal Rocky and two boys. The subject of Judaism got here up, and one of many boys began asking us questions.
The questions have been fairly fundamental. One requested if we stroll to “Jewish church” on Sundays. I defined that Rocky and I are each Reform Jews, so we drive and use electrical energy on Jewish holidays. Our “Jewish Church” is named a synagogue, and our holy day will not be Sunday however Friday, to commemorate the top of God’s week of creation.
Neither of the boys actually took in what I informed them; they’re youngsters, and they didn’t appear notably within the matter. Then, one of many boys requested one other query, however this one wasn’t simply curiosity.
He requested Rocky and I if we had massive noses and have been low cost. Earlier than I might even devise a solution to such an ignorant query, the opposite boy interjected saying “all Jews are low cost” and that “Jews are big-nosed and grasping.”
I used to be shocked. I couldn’t and can’t consider that two boys, who stay in an space with one of many largest Jewish populations within the nation, would declare such horrible stereotypes on the telephone with two Jewish women.
Greatly surprised, I responded, “You do know you guys are on the telephone with two Jewish women?”
They didn’t care. They defined that the stereotype that Jewish individuals are low cost is true, as a result of a pal of certainly one of their dads is the most cost effective man they’ve ever met, and naturally that’s as a result of he’s Jewish.
I could also be simply 15 years previous, however I’ve been extremely educated on combating antisemitism because of BBYO, my Jewish sleepaway camp, and Temple Beth El in Boca Raton, the place I grew up and proceed to take part in Jewish studying. This previous semester in my Holocaust historical past class, I’ve been finding out in-depth the place such perpetual and ignorant Jewish stereotypes come from. I used to be ready to clarify the historic relevance of those stereotypes and diminish them, however the boys rapidly responded, saying “it wasn’t that deep, it was only a joke.” That acquired my mind working and considering arduous on this vital matter.
At what level does a bigoted comment go from being only a joke to being actually antisemitic? Does it matter if the joke is made by a Jewish individual? Do lighthearted feedback that capitalize on detrimental stereotypes of Jews depend?
In my Holocaust historical past class, we listened to an interview with Daryl Davis, a musician who was capable of get greater than 200 members of the Ku Klux Klan to surrender their robes by dialogue and schooling.
That interview acquired me considering. Can I’ve a heart-to-heart with two teenage boys and get them to vary their ideas about Jewish individuals? How can I assist them see that their detrimental “joke” about Jewish individuals was used as Nazi propaganda towards the Jews?
I additionally thought “Am I overreacting?” and “Was it only a innocent joke”? I imply, two teenage boys are very completely different than KKK members and Nazis.
This interplay made me query the schooling that individuals of different religions obtain on the historic backgrounds of religions apart from their very own. As a Jewish teen, I’m extraordinarily grateful for the assets accessible, particularly residing right here in South Florida. Previously, I’ve had varied conversations with Christians who’re fully unaware that Jewish individuals pray to the identical God as them, however simply don’t consider in Jesus because the Messiah.
Final yr I even took a category at my temple that educated us about completely different religions. We realized concerning the historic backgrounds, traditions and similarities and variations. We additionally took area journeys to orthodox synagogues and an area church.
It’s not sufficient for Jewish individuals to be educated to fight antisemitism — everybody must be. Florida requires Holocaust schooling in colleges, which is so very important. However whereas it is very important be educated concerning the systematic homicide of hundreds of thousands, I consider that it’s equally vital to know what led as much as the Holocaust. That’s how we forestall one thing like that from occurring once more.
I sit up for having a dialog with these two boys. Hopefully, we will come to an understanding as to why such stereotypical “jokes” are deeply dangerous to the Jewish neighborhood.
We’re so lucky to stay on this lovely and numerous a part of the nation, and I hope that, by dialogue and schooling, we will make sure that South Florida is a extra loving and understanding place for us all.
Noa Nierman is a resident of Parkland and a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Excessive Faculty.
