Anti-Semitism on the rise

Father Thomas Morrette

A few weeks ago, I attended a lecture in Schenectady on the topic of stopping Jewish hate. It was sponsored by our local Jewish Federation and a group called FCAS which is dedicated to stopping growing anti-Semitism.

I learned that anti-Semitism is on the rise in our country once again and throughout the world, especially so on social media. I also learned that most Americans are unaware of this fact and most of us don’t think anti-Semitism is a real threat in our time. A few years ago, a group of Jewish men and women got together to form a new organization called the “Foundation to Combat Antisemitism” (FCAS). Its mission is “to win the hearts and minds of non-Jews and Jews through powerful messaging and partnerships, motivation and equipping them to be defenders of and upstanders for the Jewish community.” The organization was founded by Robert Kraft who has a longstanding commitment to social equality and support for vulnerable populations.

For many years, I’ve had the honor of being Co-Chair of the Jewish-Catholic Dialogue Committee in our Diocese. “The Dialogue” was started several decades ago under Bishop Hubbard’s direction and, over the years, it has sponsored regular events bringing the local Jewish and Catholic communities together to share their faith-visions and to forge bonds of friendship and support. The committee fulfills the mandate of the Second Vatican Council for Catholic communities to foster ongoing and supportive relationships with “our elder brothers and sisters.” This committee has been so successful in its mission over the years that other dioceses have looked to us as a pioneering model for their own outreach to the Jewish community. Thankfully, these days, Jews and Catholics in our area easily take one another’s hands regularly, and especially, when needed.

Our recent popes have publicly and strongly opposed anti-Semitism and have repented, on behalf of the Church, for past failures to support and protect our Jewish brethren. For example, Pope Francis has consistently acknowledged the immense tragedy of the Holocaust. He himself acknowledges that certain forms of anti-Semitism continue to resurface. On Nov. 9, 2021, he wrote: “Let us commit ourselves to promoting education for brotherhood, so that the regurgitations of hatred that would like to destroy do not prevail. The menace of anti-Semitism, which is still snaking through Europe and elsewhere, is a fuse that must be put out.” 

Therefore, we Catholics must help put that deadly fuse out!

Christians should be proud of the countless men and women who have stood against the irrational hatred of Jews in the past, especially those who protected Jews during the last world war. This past week, I finished a touching book entitled “Martyred and Blessed Together” which tells the story of a remarkable Catholic family in Poland who housed Jews during the war.  When authorities discovered their legal disobedience, they stormed their home and killed the Jews hiding there and also the entire family in cold blood! — a farmer and photographer, Jozef Ulma, and his wife Wiktoria, and their six children, and the unborn baby that Wiktoria was carrying at the time. This month, the entire family was beatified for their selfless support of their persecuted Jewish neighbors. 

(This is the first time in Church history where an entire family has been beatified together, the first time an unborn, unbaptized baby was beatified, whom the Church considers to have been “baptized in blood!”) 

We should imitate the Ulma family and stand with the Jewish community now as new threats mount to their right to a secure life. In light of this effort, FCAS has begun a new project which you can learn about by going to standuptojewishhate.org. Learn about “the blue square button” which can be worn by those supporting this cause. This new icon can be sent to you, free of charge, to wear on your lapel to let the world know that we stand with the Jewish community and all who are irrationally demeaned and threatened. They are brothers and sisters to us.

Blessed Jozef, Wiktoria, Stasia, Basia, Wladziu, Franio, Antos, Marysia and the unborn baby Ulma, pray for us as we join you in overcoming Jewish hate.

Father Thomas Morrette is pastor at The Catholic Community of Our Lady of Victory in Troy, Our Lady of the Snow Mission in Grafton and Christ Sun of Justice Parish in Troy.