The first time IU freshman Jillian Osheroff’s father traveled to the South, he was called out for being a Jew.
“Where are your horns?” one man asked him.
However, the issue of anti-Semitism isn’t limited to the South, Rabbi Sue Silberberg said.
Silberberg has seen swastikas drawn on Jewish students’ dormitory room dry erase boards. She’s talked to countless students who have been the butt of jokes about their Jewish heritage. She’s even heard of a swastika etched onto the elevator walls at an IU residence hall.
In the last year, Silberberg, executive director of the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center, said she has seen a rise in prejudice toward Jews on campus.
“Every day, Jewish students have to face jokes and comments just for being who they are,” Silberberg said.
She said these instances, paired with recent bomb threats against Jewish community centers, show that anti-Semitism is not just in the past but a growing problem today.
Fifty-two percent of Americans are concerned about recent violence directed at Jews, according to a study published Thursday by the Anti-Defamation League. Almost half, 47 percent, of Americans said anti-Semitism has become a greater problem since the 2016 election than ever before in recent history.
As anti-Semitism grows, Silberberg said much of the responsibility in combating it should fall in the hands of the government.
“The government really sets the tone for the rest of the country,” Silberberg said. “It’s their responsibility to make sure it’s one of acceptance instead of hatred.”
Like Silberberg, 84 percent of Americans believe the government should play a role in curbing anti-Semitism. Only 49 percent said President Trump should have done more to discourage anti-Semitism, according to the same study.
However, Silberberg said Trump failed in discouraging anti-Semitism so far because he has created a culture in which prejudice toward minorities is tolerated and even expected. Through his rhetoric, Trump validated anti-Semites and made them feel justified in voicing their hatred, Silberberg said.
“Because of the political climate, hateful people really felt comfortable coming out of the woodwork to voice their hatred against Jews and any other minority in this country,” she said.
Brian Dickstein, IU sophomore and Jew, said Trump has also failed in speaking out against those who voice such hatred. He said Trump’s silence has been disheartening for the entire Jewish community.
Trump skipped the White House Passover Seder dinner organized by Jewish staff members Tuesday. In a Tuesday press briefing, press secretary Sean Spicer denied that Adolf Hitler used chemical weapons during the Holocaust. During a speech for Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, Trump didn’t even mention Jews. As a result, Dickstein said Trump erased Jews from the narrative of anti-Semitism during the Holocaust as well.
“Talk is cheap, but it’s a start,” Dickstein said. “And he doesn’t even seem to be doing that.”
While Osheroff said Trump has started to speak about recent violence against Jews, he has made no attempts to discuss solutions or speak about the larger issue of anti-Semitism in the United States. She said as long as the president fails to speak openly about anti-Semitism, Americans will continue to deny that it even exists today.
“I just feel like we get left out of these kind of conversations,” she said. “It’s like this problem is invisible to some people.”
Moving forward, Silberberg said Trump should take a firm stance against anti-Semitism and prejudice of any kind against minorities.
“He needs to stand up against the people who have been emboldened to act with hatred because of the things he’s said against minorities,” Silberberg said.
Silberberg said the government as a whole also plays a vital role in curbing hatred. She said even state governments should join the fight against hatred by passing stricter hate crime laws.
Indiana is one of five states without hate crime laws. Silberberg said laws against these crimes are the first step toward fighting prejudice.
“We want a country where all fifty states and everyone in them will stand up against hate,” she said.
Despite growing anti-Semitism, Silberberg said she sees the average American as good and hopes they will be able to unite against rising tides of hatred, but unity starts with standing up for one another and engaging in respectful conversation, she said.
Dickstein said people in general should be more outspoken about anti-Semitism so that it can be pushed into the forefront of politicians’ minds. He also recommends calling or sending letters to senators and representatives.
“Anything that gets people talking about it and seeing that it is a problem,” Dickstein said.
However, Osheroff said it is difficult to change the minds of people already full of hate, but encouraging people to interact with Jews and come into the Hillel Center can make a difference.
For those who are concerned for the Jewish people in the community, Silberberg said there is a lot they can do as well.
“If someone makes an anti-Semitic comment, speak up,” she said. “Tell them you’re uncomfortable. Don’t be combative. That’ll just build walls and make them more hateful. Be firm but respectful.”
