A few weeks ago, I attended a meeting where the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) explained the results of their latest semi-annual survey. It was made public in recent days. I recommend reading it in full: FCAS - Jewish Hate Rising: 26 Million Shift Toward Hate.

For each survey since June 2023, FCAS and their consulting partner use a nationally representative sample of 8,000 Americans. The survey assesses respondents based on attitudes towards Jews, beliefs in antisemitic tropes, and other factors to determine which category best describes them: haters, leaning haters, unengaged, leaning allies, and allies.

The first survey was held in June 2023, four months prior to Oct. 7. At that time, allies and leaning allies comprised 41%, and haters and leaning haters comprised 15%, while unengaged people, the largest group, was at 45%.

The most recent survey was conducted in December 2024, and it reveals that haters and leaning haters have steadily risen to 25%, allies and leaning allies have decreased to 30%, and the unengaged category remains around 45%.

It feels alarming to me that haters and allies are nearing each other now. Unengaged people remain the majority. Notably, up to two-thirds of the people in that category are engaged in other social justice issues, so they are not unconcerned or indifferent in their general lifestyles.

When this information was presented a few weeks ago, I had an “aha” moment about what I need to do as an ally. I have written about allies for many years, and I have facilitated workshops to teach people about allyship as a crucial component to any justice movement. When the FCAS meeting leader mentioned that the unengaged are potential allies if cultivated with good messaging, tools and specific requests, I realized I need to form an ally group to combat antisemitism. TORAAH is the name that came to me overnight, and I bought the domain name the next day. I have yet to get things rolling due a busy spring schedule, but I plan to begin organizing people and strategies during the summer. Those “unengaged” people are welcome on our team. Let’s not lose them to the haters.

While too many people on the left and the right are perversely united in antisemitism, there are far more people who do not understand it. TORAAH will welcome divergent thinkers and people from all socio-political backgrounds and cultures. We will have a core agreed-upon purpose to fight hatred against Jews, and we will develop a clear mission statement and initial goals.

In my lifetime, there has never been a more important time to combat antisemitism. I remain in shock that the world reacted aberrantly rather than with compassion and support after Hamas’ massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Americans on college campuses and in the streets continue to gleefully cry out that Israel should not exist.

Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

Flipart

Typeshift

SpellTower

Really Bad Chess

Until we see the same scrutiny and standard for all other demographics (many of which are not democracies) regarding their homes of origin, this nihilistic, dehumanizing treatment along with the accompanying lies about all the wars against Israel should not go unaddressed. Anti-Zionism is antisemitism. The BDS movement hurts Arab Israelis and Palestinians the most. The continued spread of ignorance and willful deceit is dangerous. It never stops with an opinion about one potential aspect of Jewish identity. It becomes common to taunt Jewish children in schools and to harass Jews on their way to or from synagogues. Emotional violence is already normative. Physical violence is next.

On April 19, I joined a group of Jews and allies at the Greenfield Public Library to educate people with our signs because we learned that someone had reserved space there to show short propaganda films that revise the Oct. 7 massacre. Exploiting and distorting this tragedy is unacceptable. We spoke the truth silently. I was grateful to be in good company while I am disappointed that the library gave space for dangerous antisemitism. I doubt they would have offered the space for a KKK film.

Why do people blow off concerns about Jews? Do they think Jews can take care of it themselves or that it is not so bad? Do they understand inherited trauma or do they just see resilience? Carrying on is the incredible story of Jewish survival; at the same time, Jews have more than earned the right to expect supporters and friends of all kinds.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month. It seems like a good time to become an active ally. Start small. Learn. Inquire. Help.

J.M. Sorrell firmly believes that hatred against Jews is insane and heartless, and she is resolute in fighting it. More to come.