IS SOME ANTI-SEMITISM GOOD FOR JEWS?

Anti-Semitism: Good for the Jews? Yes, in moderation by Eugene Volokh (WSJ)
American Jews naturally worry about anti-Semitic speech, for the obvious reason that it could lead to anti-Semitic murder, other crimes, job discrimination and more. They also worry about unfair criticism of Israel, because it could undermine American help for Israel, American trade and professional exchanges with Israel and the like.

But it seems to me there are also contrary effects. American help for Israel--especially private help--is also undermined by any decline in American Jews' emotional connection to Israel, a decline that can stem from (1) growing assimilation, (2) a declining sense that Israel is unfairly embattled and (3) a declining sense that Jews are unfairly embattled and need Israel as a defender and retreat of last resort. Likewise, what these days most undermines the welfare of the American Jewish community as an independent community (rather than just as individual people)? My sense is that the answer is assimilation and declining sense of common fate, rather than an unwillingness to identify as Jews for fear of ostracism or violent reprisal (a fear that was more serious some decades ago).

Modest amounts of anti-Semitic speech and unfair criticism of Israel, it seems to me, can strengthen American Jews' self-identity as Jews, and thus indirectly both support the preservation of the American Jewish community as a community, and strengthen support for Israel. Feeling embattled as a group tends to strengthen group solidarity. Hearing unfair criticisms for Israel tends to strengthen the sense that Israel is unfairly embattled and deserves more support. Feeling some fear of anti-Semitism reminds American Jews of the value of preserving American Jewish institutions. And it reminds American Jews of the value of protecting Israel, in case one day American Jews may need refuge somewhere just as European Jews once did. ("Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in.")

If anti-Semitic speech became too common, these community-strengthening effects may be decreased (for instance, if American Jews became afraid to be publicly identified as Jews) or might be swamped by harmful effects (again, such as violence, ostracism, discrimination or fear suffered by individual Jews). But my sense is that at modest levels, the existence of this speech in America is a net positive (not an unalloyed positive, but a net positive) both for Israel and for the American Jewish community. And we are talking these days about such modest levels, if one looks at the big picture of Jewish existence in America today.

Watchdog: Anti-Semitism at highs in Europe (JTA)
Anti-Semitic incidents remain at historically high levels throughout Europe and North America, a major human rights group reported.

The report on anti-Semitism was attached to the broader Human Rights First 2007 Hate Crimes Survey, which was released Wednesday to coincide with a conference on combating discrimination held in Bucharest by the Organization for Security and Cooperation.

The OSCE's pledge to survey hate crimes annually is the first by any major human rights watchdog.

"Bias-motivated violence remains a serious problem in Europe," said Maureen Byrnes, executive director of Human Rights First.

The group said anti-Semitic hate crimes occur with greater frequency than in the 1990s, noting among other incidents in 2006 the knife assault on worshipers of a Moscow synagogue that left nine severely injured, and the torture and murder of Ilam Halimi in a Paris subway.

Attacks on Jewish schools and students, as well as the defamation of places of worship, cemeteries and community centers had become routine, the survey said. The complete study is available at http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/discrimination/reports.asp?country=multi&id=31&misc1=survey-antisem