Is ignorance the cause of antisemitism?

What do you do with a whole new generation that is completely unaware of historical events that preceded their birth? Is it likely that detailed knowledge of what took place would make any difference in how they think?  

Those are questions worth exploring, especially when trying to understand if the virulent antisemitism, particularly amongst today’s Gen Z, is a direct result of their complete ignorance of what Jews have suffered throughout history.

According to a recent JNS article, “Half of Irish adults are unaware 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust.” The survey, conducted by Global Strategy Group, focused on individuals ranging from 18 to 29, typically the same age group involved in anti-Israel protests, involving many university students.

Perhaps, most shocking was that 10% of them said they “believed the Holocaust was a myth.”  But is this type of ignorance just an Irish phenomenon or more widespread?

Information provided by the American Jewish Committee says that “only 53% of Americans, over the age of 18, knew that six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust while 20% said they were not sure.” The rest gave wrong guesses, showing their lack of factual historical knowledge, confirming that either the subject is not being taught in schools nor researched individually.

Of course, the Holocaust represents only one dark period of persecution towards the Jewish people, but since it’s the most recent, excluding October 7th, one can only surmise that general knowledge of the Inquisition, European pogroms and other similar large-scale tragedies would likely be completely unknown.

Sadly, it is this type of astounding ignorance which has allowed real history to be replaced by a fictional version that reverses the roles, casting Jews as colonialists and oppressors of would-be marginalized people. 

Apparently, the invented narrative sounds so plausible to the ears of the young, that they don’t feel the need to do their own research to discover whether or not those libelous claims can be substantiated by fact.

But if ignorance is not the real cause of their antisemitism, then would well-documented articles, original footage or first-account testimony make much of a difference? 

As we’ve all seen, you can refute erroneous assertions by providing photos, reported incidents and other factual documentation, as we’ve recently seen in the cases of illegal criminals who murdered and raped others but are, nonetheless, being harbored and protected by lunatics who don’t want them deported.

Consequently, study and research of antisemitism might not necessarily change minds, if they are inclined to adopt the version that rings true to them. That means that there is another cause, contributing to the deluge of Jew-hatred which has emerged since October 7th. 

It’s not that hard to figure out, although some may reject the premise. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that ever since God established the first Jew, Abraham, there have been unrelenting concerted plans to do away with them as a people.  Because no one else, on the face of the earth, has had to deal with centuries of plots to annihilate them.  

It is what we annually read in our Passover story (Haggadah) which says, “In each and every generation, they rise up against us to destroy us. And the Holy One, blessed be He, rescues us from their hands.”

It’s worthwhile asking, “Who is behind those enemies and why are they so bent on destroying us?” There are a number of reasons, all found in the scriptures, including everything from jealousy to a deep resentment towards a race that was called God’s Chosen People. 

While that may account for the human response, behind it are the forces of evil – also recorded by the Jewish prophets who gave a full account of the rebellion which took place in heaven by Satan and the other fallen angels who tried to usurp the place of the Creator. 

When they failed to dethrone the Almighty, their raging battle was extended to those most loved and protected by God. It was their way to fight against the divine plan, instituted for the purpose of bringing world redemption through the Jewish people. Kill them, and no such restoration occurs, relegating mankind to the misery they created for themselves by rejecting God, believing they could manage on their own.

The history of humanity has been comprised of a continuous cycle of periods where demonic activity has intensified, but was ultimately neutralized and dissipated – exactly as the Haggadah quote – “He rescues us from their hands.”  

October 7th was the beginning of yet another period of demonic intensification which surfaced with a vengeance. While it’s true that there have always been small pockets of antisemitism, most of us who were born after the Holocaust, do not remember a time when publicly cursing or physically attacking Jews was ever something we saw. Now, it’s become commonplace and almost predictable.

Seeing the worrying trend, especially affecting young people who believe that it is warranted, many believe that educating this swath of the population would help immensely in their understanding of why it was crucial that a Jewish state be created.  

A popular meme which has circulated in recent days says, “The more you attack Jews around the world, the more you prove Israel must exist.” Nothing says it more accurately.  

The moment that Jews were exiled from their land, forced to spend 2,000 years amongst host nations which mostly turned on them, the creation of an independent homeland, for the Jewish people, embodied in the ideals of Zionism, became the deep longing, finally realized in 1948.

No time was wasted developing our own military and essential weapons to defend ourselves in a way that others failed to do. It is the reason that we must win each battle that is waged against us, because we are here to stay!

Rescued, each time by the hand of the Almighty, it is clear that His promise to His people is still in effect! So as the attacks intensify from an ever-growing enemy, we have the hope of prevailing against everything that is thrown against us – whether it’s the rewriting of history or the blatant ignorance of a new generation. 

The winners in this battle have already been determined, and that is because the greatest warrior is fighting for us!