With mainstream media parroting Hamas propaganda about “genocide” in Gaza, the post-Oct. 7 surge in antisemitism is likely to continue to get worse, says JNS editor–in-chief Jonathan Tobin. Those blood libels are not only fueling the sort of Jew-hatred that is impacting students on college campuses but also raising the threat of more violence directed at synagogues, schools and other Jewish targets.
He’s joined on this week’s episode of “Think Twice” by Michael Masters, national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network (SCN), the organization responsible for the security of Jews in North America. SCN monitors threats to Jews and advises community organizations on safety issues, providing its own version of an Iron Dome for the community.
According to Masters, the antisemitism crisis on college campuses is not the product of spontaneous efforts to support Hamas and attack the pro-Israel community. The immediate mobilization of protesters and materials for them was organized and coordinated. Much of it, he says, was funded by foreign state actors, especially Iran. Moreover, these efforts were not merely expressions of free speech but took the form of organizing manuals clearly aimed at facilitating violence and other illegal acts.
The most ominous development, Masters points out, is that amid pressure by the Trump administration on institutions of higher learning to stop tolerating and encouraging Jew-hatred, pro-Hamas activists are switching tactics. Instead of taking over university buildings, they are emphasizing the targeting of Jewish individuals, such as professors and students. Their goal is to silence and intimidate people from speaking out on behalf of Israel and in defense of the Jewish community.
The security expert points out that in the current atmosphere, Jew-hatred unites the extreme left and the extreme right in a “circle” in which white supremacists and Islamists join together to target Jews. As such, he asserts that what is needed is a unified Jewish community that will advocate against antisemitism and get the funding they need to adequately protect Jewish institutions.
While SCN has a list of recommendations for enhancing Jewish safety, Masters emphasizes the need for training for those responsible for security. While Americans have a Second Amendment right to carry firearms, he says the key to protecting community members is putting weapons in the hands of those trained to use them in an emergency.
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