My mother’s friend, Doris, a 91-year-old fellow Holocaust survivor in New York said she would not go to a local favorite restaurant because she was afraid a terrorist would come into the Jewish-identified location and shoot it up. Indeed, while a recent Jewish People Policy Institute survey clearly indicates that American Jews feel less secure about their personal safety since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war – and no doubt this extends to Jews worldwide – the current feelings of Holocaust survivors must be viewed in a category of its own. So too, the now adult children of survivors, are viewing the war through a lens that has not yet been surveyed but is likely separate from their peers.
As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, I understand the unique perspective that comes with being connected to this dark past. The fear and trauma that my mother experienced during those horrific times continued to echo through our family and has left a lasting impact on future generations in the United States and Israel. And like Doris, my mother too has expressed heartbreaking concerns about the rise in antisemitism and the potential for violence against Jews.
The recent spate of terrorist attacks targeting Jewish establishments across the world has only intensified these fears. It is shattering to witness the lingering terror of survivors who have already endured unspeakable horrors in their lifetime. These survivors are old now, in their 90s. Their resilience and strength are remarkable, but watching the outpouring of unbridled Jew hatred again is a trauma relived.
They are not so surprised about antisemitism rising its ugly head again in Europe. They are well aware that the level of antisemitic incidents in the US has been surging for several years – the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh happened only five years ago – but seeing swastikas proliferate across the United States; the huge tide of serious threats against Jewish students on college campuses; and demonstrations with thousands of participants praising barbaric Hamas murderers throughout the world, has been overwhelming.
“They don’t want to let us live,” my mother remarks over and over. “This is exactly how it started,” she bemoans. But perhaps the scariest thing for her, and for Jews the world over, has been the level of violence witnessed against Jews in Israel. To these survivors and to many of their children, myself included, Israel was the one definitive place for Jews to feel safe; the last bastion. The shattering of that concept may be the hardest reality we are facing. These survivors and their families are scared not so much for themselves but for their and our children, grandchildren, and future generations.
While others may analyze the present situation through political, social, or ideological frameworks, survivors and their descendants are acutely aware of the potential consequences and the history that could repeat itself. Perhaps not in exactly the same way but as Jews being isolated and killed for simply being Jewish.
Now, more than ever, we must stand together in solidarity and support of Israel and Jewish communities. We must confront and challenge those who wish to annihilate Israel and the Jews who support it.
A new paradigm
We must change the paradigm in Israel vis-à-vis Hamas and other regimes of terror, however painful that will be, and come up with new strategies for living in the region. We must urge governments and law enforcement to take decisive action to ensure the safety of their Jewish citizens by increasing security measures and educational programs that promote inclusivity and tolerance for the other. And if some Jews need to leave their homes because living where they are as Jews is unsustainable, they must be helped.
The burden of history lies heavy upon the shoulders of Holocaust survivors and their children at this moment in time. We owe it to them and ourselves to work toward creating a world where we can feel safe and secure. We must never forget the lessons of the past for they will guide us.
Holocaust survivors like Doris and my mother remind us to never succumb to fear but to stand tall in the face of adversity. Their resilience should inspire us all to strive for a world where no one must be afraid because of their religion or background. Only then can we truly honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust and safeguard the legacy of bravery and hope that defines the spirit of the Jewish people.
Laura Kam is the President and Founder of Kam Global Strategies, Director of Communications at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) and the daughter of Holocaust survivors.