Don’t draw lines — build bridges | New Jersey Jewish News

It’s 2024, and a university had to be told by a judge that they cannot have a “No Jews Allowed” area on its campus.

Let that sink in. In a country that prides itself on being a beacon of freedom and equality, we are witnessing a moment so regressive, so astonishingly backward, that it feels like something out of a dark chapter in our history books. But it’s not history — it’s happening right now.

This isn’t just about one university’s failure to protect its Jewish students. It’s about a much larger failure in our society. How did we get to a point where a court had to step in to remind a prestigious institution of higher learning that antisemitism is not only unacceptable but illegal? This is not just a legal issue — it’s a moral one, and it’s a damning indictment of where we are as a nation.

The recent court ruling mandating that UCLA must protect its Jewish students is a significant step forward, but it also shines a harsh light on a broader problem in America — our collective failure to recognize the persistence and pervasiveness of antisemitism. This ruling doesn’t just address an isolated issue on one college campus; it taps into a deeper, more troubling reality: America has a blind spot when it comes to antisemitism, and too many people still don’t believe it exists, or at least, they don’t see it as the urgent threat that it is.

In many ways, what’s happening at UCLA is a microcosm of what’s happening across the country. Despite clear evidence — rising incidents of vandalism, verbal harassment, and even physical attacks — there remains a disturbing level of denial or indifference when it comes to antisemitism. People often assume that because Jewish communities are generally perceived as integrated and successful, they are immune to bigotry and hate. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The problem is that antisemitism has a unique ability to hide in plain sight. It often masquerades as something else — political criticism, jokes, or “legitimate” debates about Israel — when, in reality, it’s the same old hate dressed in new clothes. For decades, Jewish Americans have been warning about the rising tide of antisemitism, but too often, their concerns have been dismissed or minimized. The UCLA ruling forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that ignoring antisemitism doesn’t make it go away — it only makes it stronger.

This denial is deeply rooted in the American psyche. There’s a tendency to believe that because we fought against the Nazis in World War II, we’ve somehow inoculated ourselves against antisemitism. But the truth is, antisemitism didn’t end with the defeat of Hitler. It simply evolved. Today, it manifests in more insidious ways, through conspiracy theories, coded language, and a pervasive skepticism about Jewish identity and loyalty.

What’s more disturbing is how antisemitism is often cloaked in the rhetoric of inclusivity. Those who claim to represent all voices often silence the very people they say they stand for, with a particular implication that Jews don’t share these universal values. This is nothing less than coded antisemitism. It’s an insidious way of othering the Jewish community, suggesting that Jews are somehow outside the moral framework that guides the rest of society. This subtle, yet powerful, form of bigotry allows antisemitism to persist under the guise of social justice, making it all the more dangerous.

The consequences of this denial are severe. When society refuses to acknowledge the reality of antisemitism, it leaves Jewish communities vulnerable and isolated. It also emboldens those who harbor and spread these hateful beliefs, allowing them to operate with impunity. The UCLA ruling is a wake-up call not just for universities, but for the entire country. It’s a reminder that antisemitism is not a relic of the past — it’s a very real and present danger.

The rise of antisemitism isn’t a sudden phenomenon. It’s the result of decades of erosion in the principles that once guided our collective fight for equality and justice. We need only look at the legacy of leaders like Senator Matthew Feldman, Teaneck’s first Jewish mayor and a towering figure in New Jersey politics, to understand what true commitment to these principles looks like. Feldman, who spearheaded the voluntary integration of Teaneck’s schools in the 1960s — a move that was groundbreaking at the time — demonstrated that real progress requires more than just good intentions. It demands action, courage, and an unwavering dedication to justice for all, not just for those causes that are convenient or politically expedient.

Feldman’s career was defined by his fierce opposition to antisemitism and his dedication to civil rights. Whether it was combating the German-American Bund in Union City or confronting discriminatory housing practices by tearing down a “Restricted Community” sign on Route 17, Feldman understood that antisemitism and racism were intertwined threads of hate. He recognized that these forms of hatred are not merely historical footnotes but persistent threats that must be addressed with the same vigor that characterized the civil rights movement.

In communities like Teaneck, where the Jewish population has long been an integral part of the town’s fabric, these tensions are particularly pronounced. Teaneck prides itself on being a diverse, inclusive community — a place where people of different races, religions, and backgrounds can live together in harmony. But as anyone who lives here knows, the reality is more complicated.

The language of inclusiveness and diversity is frequently invoked, yet there are times when it feels like these principles are applied only selectively. Teaneck, once a national leader with its voluntary school integration plan, now faces a different challenge: the need to truly embrace the diversity it claims to value. This means moving beyond mere tolerance and towards genuine understanding and mutual respect. Unfortunately, there are still voices in our community that seem more interested in drawing lines than in building bridges. Their biases may not always be overt, but their actions and words often betray a discomfort with the town’s evolving identity.

The November walkout at Teaneck High School, where students protested under the banner of “ending genocide in Palestine,” is emblematic of how these issues are playing out in our schools and communities. The protest, which included chants like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” has raised significant concerns about where to draw the line between political expression and antisemitism. While students certainly have the right to express their views, the event underscored the growing polarization around the war in Gaza. While students certainly have the right to express their views, we all saw how quickly the walkout’s rhetoric spilled over into antisemitic sentiments. This is not merely a local issue; it reflects a broader, systemic problem where expressions of support for one cause can sometimes cloak more sinister undercurrents of hate.

Remember that the Holocaust is not just about the past — it’s about the present and the future. It’s about recognizing that the same forces of hatred and bigotry that led to the actual genocide of six million Jews are still at work today, and that we all have a responsibility to stand against them. It’s ironic that in a town that prides itself on diversity, there is still resistance to fully acknowledging and addressing the unique challenges faced by the Jewish community. The reality is that antisemitism is not just a relic of history; it’s a persistent threat that needs to be confronted wherever it appears, even in places like Teaneck.

The fight against antisemitism requires more than just lip service. It demands action, honesty, and a commitment to living up to the values we claim to hold dear. Teaneck has the opportunity to be a model for how communities can navigate these challenges with integrity and courage. But it will require us to confront the uncomfortable truths about who we are and who we want to be.

The UCLA ruling should be a wake-up call for all of us. It should remind us that antisemitism is not just another form of prejudice — it’s a deeply entrenched, insidious force that requires a specific and determined response. We cannot allow ourselves to become so focused on fighting one form of discrimination that we ignore or enable another. We must stand up, speak out, and ensure that the rights of all people are protected, without exception.

If we truly want to honor the legacy of the civil rights movement, we must recognize that the fight against antisemitism is part of that legacy. It’s not enough to be anti-racist; we also must be actively anti-antisemitic. We must reject the dangerous trend of allowing antisemitism to slip through the cracks, disguised as political activism or social justice.

We must be vigilant. We must be vocal. And most importantly, we must ensure that what happened at UCLA is never allowed to happen again — anywhere, to anyone. Because if we don’t, we risk losing the very essence of what it means to be a just and equitable society.

Hillary Goldberg, a lifelong resident of Teaneck and founder and editor-in-chief of the Teaneck Tomorrow email newsletter, was elected to her hometown’s Township Council in 2022. After October 7, she wrote a resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israel that council adopted unanimously.

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