Being Jewish
An article in The Jerusalem Post:
My comment:
I agree that the events on the 7th of October 2023 and since have made our “Jewishness” much more pronounced, both in our own eyes and in the eyes of others.
Jews could never really hide or blend in, and just like in the times leading to the Second World War and during that war, now again, all fingers point at Israel and the Jews in the Diaspora.
Thus, if we are already in the spotlight, it is better to accept and live our “Jewishness” rather than hide or cover it.
But here comes the big question: what exactly does it mean to “be Jewish?!”
And here, whether we like it or not, we will have to return to the original “definitions” and to the original method of “being Jewish,” as the Torah and our greatest sages describe.
Accordingly, we will have to relearn and re-implement the fundamental principles and laws the Torah teaches us, most notably the two primary Mitzvot, the “Old Hillel” and Rabbi Akiva taught: “Do not do the others what you yourself hate!” and “Love your friend as yourself” and all above and despite our inherently selfish, egoistic, exploitative and hateful human nature.
Then, we will be able to rebuild our Nation on its original foundations of unity and mutual guarantee through brotherly love” that can neutralize and complement the instinctive “unfounded hatred” between us.
Then we will become “Light unto others,” showing the only way human beings can overcome and survive themselves and their original natures.
This is also the only solution against antisemitism.