Today
I’d like to condemn the troubling increase in hate crimes against Jewish
Americans.
Anti-Semitism
has been called “the oldest hatred.” Throughout the history of the Jewish
people, they have been subjected to cruelty, discrimination and violence. Even
in modern times, even here in America, Jews are still not safe from this
hatred. I find that profoundly sad.
No
Jewish American should ever experience bigotry based on their religion. Nor should
they be subject to threats, harassment or injury because there is a Jewish
state of Israel. We can express disagreements about foreign policy and about
conflict in the Middle East. But we should never allow those disagreements to
become dehumanizing and abusive.
Yet,
in response to a terrible conflict in Gaza, Jewish Americans have been attacked
in recent weeks. The Anti-Defamation League has said that reporting of anti-Semitic
incidents has gone up 63 percent since the start of a war between Israel and
Hamas.
In
New York, two Jewish teenagers were surrounded by an angry mob just this last
Saturday. The boys were told they had to chant “free Palestine” and “kill all
Jews” before they were beaten and choked. On Thursday, a man wearing a yarmulke
was beaten by a gang of men who chanted words like “Hamas is going to kill all
of you.”
In
Los Angeles, anti-Israel protestors attacked Jewish patrons at a restaurant.
The attackers reportedly said “death to Jews” and “Free Palestine.” An Orthodox
Jewish man was chased by cars flying Palestinian flags, in another incident in
Los Angeles.
I
hope we all condemn this horrible wave of violence against Jewish Americans.
But members of Congress can do more to take down the temperature. We should
never vilify Israel or Israelis. This only fosters hateful attacks. We can talk
about geopolitical problems without demonizing a people.
I
remember how far anti-Semitic violence can go. In October of 2018, Robert
Bowers attacked the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – killing
11. He did so after complaining that our first president with Jewish members in
the First Family, President Trump, was surrounded by a Jewish “infestation.” It
was the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history.
While
battling the recent spike in Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes,
we need to remember to combat all hate crimes. I look forward to opportunities
in hearings or legislation to see if we are doing everything we can to protect
our Jewish brothers and sisters, and all Americans.