This week I've been in Basel, Switzerland to represent ADL at a conference marking 125 years since Theodore Herzl came here to convene the first international meeting of the Zionist movement. That gathering changed the world by inspiring the creation of a national Jewish homeland.
The panel I was on gave me an opportunity to discuss the historic and current scourge of anti-Semitism—and to reflect on what Zionism means in 2022. I want to share my thoughts about this with you.
From that gathering in 1897, a commitment was made to return the Jewish people to their historic homeland. While two thousand years of marginalization and persecution as a minority living in the Diaspora— let alone the genocide of six million in the Holocaust—could never be remedied, the pursuit of Israel's creation generated new hope for the future.
Today's Israel is a flourishing Jewish state that provides a welcoming haven for Jews around the world and is a pioneering force in areas of science, medicine, technology and agriculture. And yet, Israel's existence has not “solved” anti-Semitism, nor is the Israeli state a perfect utopia.
Herzl could not have foreseen Israel having to defend itself in eight wars since 1948, the still unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the ongoing threats posed by malicious states like Iran and terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and coordinated international efforts to marginalize and delegitimize the Jewish state, including the absurd claim that “Zionism is Racism” and hateful BDS campaigns.
Anti-Semitism continues to be a grave global issue, with tropes and manifestations that would have been painfully familiar to people living in 1897. We have also seen new forms arise—like online hate and
harassment, and the scapegoating of Jewish people and organizations for Israel's actions.
Last year, ADL recorded the highest number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. since we began tracking the totals in the 1970s. One major spike came during the conflict between Israel and the terror group Hamas in May 2021, when we tracked a 150% increase in incidents including 15 assaults and grotesque displays of anti-Israel hate. Jews were brazenly attacked in public places in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles simply for the crime of their faith and identity.
In the U.S. and around the world we've seen politicians on the far right parrot antisemitic talking points, and those on the far left use anti-Zionist rhetoric that's anti-Semitism at its core.
At ADL, we are combating anti-Semitism from all sides and taking on those who would seek to undermine Israel's legitimacy. But the fact that such virulent anti-Semitism is aimed at “Zionists”—i.e., Jews—writ large is perhaps one of the biggest challenges.
As I have said before, anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. At this moment, there is a need for the entire Jewish world and our allies to stand together against this dangerous form of anti-Semitism.
Despite these obstacles, the Basel anniversary is a moment to celebrate. The Jewish people are much stronger now than we were in 1897. In the same ways that the first Zionist Congress offered strength to Jews around the world and redefined our narrative, today we must also draw strength from that moment and let it nourish us to meet the challenges ahead.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Greenblatt
CEO and National Director
ADL
P.S. You can read an extended version of my essay about Zionism and global anti-Semitism on the Jerusalem Post website.