Semitism?

Richard Hollerman

We have heard and read again and again terms that are bandied about relating to the current crisis. It has to do with Ukraine, Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, and I supposed other ways. The point has often been made as of late that we are not to be “anti-Semites” or against Jews.

We have often heard in the past that we are not to be against Jews, thus we must avoid “anti-Semitism.” The thought is that the Jews or Israel would be the Semite “race” and this is bad. I already know the intricacies of this but I wanted to make sure before I proceeded further.

I knew that a “Semite” was a Jew but I wanted to learn what a secular dictionary had to say. We read that a Semite is “a member of a group of Semite-speaking peoples of the Near East and northern Africa, including Arabs, Ethiopians, Hebrews, and Phoenicians” (The American Heritage College Dictionary.”

We also read that a Semite is a “policy or predisposition favorable to the Jews” (Merriam-Webster’s College Dictionary.”  It would seem that an “anti-Semitic” person is from Arabia, Ethiopia, Israel, the Near East, Northern Africa, or Phoenicia, and that this would entail being against these localities, or even Israel.

We need to realize that those from Arabia, North Africa, and the Near East would be “Semitic” as well as Jews or Israelis. As used today, it would include these nations but generally we must admit that it is often used in a more restrictive sense. Thus, instead of someone from North Africa, Arabia, or other parts of the Near East, it is often used with reference to Israel and Israel alone.

When someone says that such-and-such a person is “Anti-Semitic,” we know that it doesn’t refer to one who is against one who is from Africa or the Near East but one who is specifically an Israeli. This does show how far removed from reality language can be!

We find that many on University and college campuses (and I suppose professors also) are against Jews and are anti-Semitic, actually what they mean is not that they are against Arabs, or Africans, but against Israelis alone. It may be that these places speak a form of language that differs from the usual and is opposed to Jewish language, but still we think that these people are all wrong in their approach and in their conclusions. Yes, they may be opposed to Jews (as Hitler was) but they are opposed to the Jews that they know.

It is true that Israelis can be proud and they may have a religion that is not Muslim (for instance) and both of these would be wrong and sadly evil (from God’s standpoint) but they are human beings and should be treated fairly. While were are not Pluralistic and oppose this religious philosophy (for it differs from what God would want), and are aware that there at least four kinds of Jews in America (all of which are utterly wrong), still we need to treat Jews and Arabs with kindness, respect, and sweetness.

Are you doing this?