Conf. of Presidents: ‘US Jewry sense of security has been penetrated'
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, Hoenlein said that there was an “obligation” on the non-Jewish world to come up with solutions for the antisemitism outbreak in the US.
By JEREMY SHARONA patrol vehicle is seen near Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg's residence in Monsey, New York, U.S., December 29, 2019(photo credit: REUTERS/JEENAH MOON)American Jews’ feeling of personal safety has been seriously harmed by the recent spate of severe, violent antisemitic crimes in the country, Malcolm Hoenlein said on Wednesday.Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, the executive vice president of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations said there was an “obligation” from the non-Jewish world to come up with solutions for the antisemitism outbreak in the US, but that the Jewish community also needed to take responsibility and unify its efforts to “recreate” the solidarity of the movement to free Soviet Jewry in the 1970s and 1980s.Hoenlein also spoke of the recently unveiled Trump plan for the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and expressed hope that it could become the basis of renewed negotiations between the sides, but insisted that the proposals were not intended by the Trump administration as a “diktat.”In reference to the rise in antisemitism, Hoenlein said he was still hopeful the wave can be diminished, but said the issue was “a grave concern” to which the Conference of Presidents is dedicating much of its time.“This is bigger than any one organization or collection of [organizations]. It requires the resources of everyone, but the non-Jewish word has to take responsibility,” he said.“We are the victims not the perpetrators. We have a responsibility, they have an obligation, and we want to put the onus on them and come up with comprehensive approaches that engage the political process, engage the campus scene, academia, judiciary, law enforcement, to pass more laws and make hate crimes a serious crime.”Hoenlein added that the Tree of Life massacre in Pittsburgh in 2018 was “the end of the age of innocence” for American Jewry.“I do think there is a qualitative change in the psychosis of Americans, they do feel less secure.“People feel insecure, people do look to Israel as one of the answers. They’re not going to flee, they’re not going to run away, but their sense of security has been penetrated,” he continued, noting, for example, that some Jewish parents no longer let their children go to school by themselves, but drive them instead.Conference of Presidents CEO William Daroff added however that in contrast to waves of antisemitism in Jewish history that stemmed from governments themselves, today the government was on the opposite side of the issue.
“The key is that the sources of power, government, politicians, leaders of civil society are all standing up with us to condemn antisemitism,” said Daroff.“In the past, government was a mechanism for enslaving and killing Jews. Today, government at all levels in the US is with the Jewish community, marching with us, and speaking out against antisemitism.”Turning to US President Donald Trump’s proposals for the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Hoenlein said the unveiling ceremony in the White House, which both he and Daroff attended, had been “moving,” and welcomed Trump’s comments at the event as well as the presence of the ambassadors of the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain.“It’s a comprehensive approach, it offers a lot to the Palestinians and Israel, and means both sides can contribute and make some concessions. There will be opposition on both sides, but I would hope that Palestinian people would force their leadership to at least sit down,” said Hoenlein.He said, however, that the Conference of Presidents “want to see a process,” and “something that could become the basis for negotiations.”Hoenlein added that “it’s not an imposed solution. It’s not the final diktat, it was meant to be the basis for a discussion.”Daroff said the Trump deal was “a positive development” in that a peace process was now back under discussion, in contrast to recent years when it has not figured broadly in the public debate.“Before this there was no discussion of the two state solution. It [the Trump proposals] is a starting point, but the key is the Palestinians coming to the table. The ball is in their court. They’re losing support in the Arab world and they have to come to terms with reality.”
