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LAWRENCE, Kan. — As many of you know, my youngest son, Jack, spent the first semester of this school year in Budapest at a prestigious math institute. While in Europe, he encountered many forms of intolerance. In Hungary itself, he was able to witness the rising influence of an anti-Semitic, anti-gypsy, right-wing party which is likely to be heavily represented in the next Parliament.
He got into a fight with a skinhead when he tried to prevent him from beating a woman whom the skinhead had knocked down during the gay pride day. Although blows were exchanged, he was not harmed as the police intervened with tear gas breaking off the conflict. He spent a few days in Switzerland around Thanksgiving when the Swiss voted not to allow the Muslims to add minarets to their mosques.
After he got back from Switzerland, he e-mailed me, stating that one thing he has gotten out of his experience in Europe was his belief that the United States was the most liberal and tolerant nation in the world, even under the previous administration. For those of you who know that Jack is the most liberal of our family, a statement complimenting the Bush administration was quite an event. I was also inspired to write this column by Zalman Tiechtel’s answer in the Faith Forum as to what was his most memorable Chanukah. At the end of it, he stated how grateful he was to live in a country where all citizens had a right to worship as they chose.
Both Jack and Rabbi Tiechtel are right. The United States is unique among all nations in that it has never had, and, pray God, it will never have an official religion. While it is true that the majority of our citizens practice some form of Christianity, and a greater percentage of them did earlier in our history than now, we have never had an official state religion like Anglicanism in Britain or Catholicism in France, to name a couple of instances. There has never been a religious test to hold office in our country, even though religious belief often affects how we vote.
Now this is not to say that there has not been anti-Semitism in the United States. Today it is fairly mild and not particularly threatening to almost all American Jews. But in the past, even in my lifetime, it was more prevalent. A good instance in our own community was Morris “Shorty” Cohen, one of the founders of the community and a very wealthy man. In his lifetime, even though he could afford to buy a house anywhere in Lawrence, there were areas in which Jews could not purchase homes. Although, apparently, this was not particularly true where I grew up in Wichita, since Jews lived in the most expensive neighborhoods, it was not unheard of in other cities. Today, of course, those clauses are no longer enforceable, nor are there even attempts to try to enforce them.
Even though as Jews we are in good shape in this country, we still must be vigilant not only in defending our rights but the rights of others. There is a certain degree of suspicion and even hatred against Muslims triggered, in part, by Islamic radicalism which must, of course, be combated. It is important that we do not join in any blanket condemnation of a religion or ethnic group just because some of their members go well beyond the bonds of acceptable behavior. By the same token, we need to join with our fellow Americans in zealously defending our country and its culture of tolerance and freedom. During the recent severe recession which some, including myself, believe was actually a depression, there did not seem to be an outbreak of anti-Semitism, which is fortunate, but, as we know, people like the Phelpses are trying to whip it up.
So what should we do as Jews and Americans to ensure that we continue to be the most liberal and tolerant nation in the world? One thing is we must continue to be active in government and politics. We must ensure that the people we support, no matter what their political party or if they are liberal or conservative, are strong defenders of religious liberty. We must be concerned when religious freedom is suppressed, no matter where it may occur. Whether it be anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe, anti-Christianity in parts of Asia, or anti-Muslim sentiments in this country, we must speak out against these practices. We must also, as Jews, respect our own religion and defend the rights of other Jews to practice in ways that we do not. Such issues that may come up include the right to maintain kosher slaughtering or even to publicly light a menorah in South Park. I believe that this country will continue to be a beacon to the world and to teach by practice how many different faiths can live together in peace, understanding, and harmony.
David Berkowitz, an attorney, is president of the Lawrence Jewish Community Center. |
