What does it mean to be Jewish in Trump’s America?

I have been asking myself this question, along with a multitude of other questions, since election night. It is unfortunate that we now live in a reality in which so many are complacent with the blatant xenophobia, racism, sexism, and other forms of hatred the president-elect has espoused and inspired some others to espouse. It is disheartening and frightening to see reports of targeted violence against marginalized groups in America including but not limited to immigrants, people of color, and religious minorities including Muslims and Jews. It is unsurprising that I have seen many tweets and Facebook posts calling for the expulsion and outright destruction of the Jewish people. And when this type of hatred is enacted so openly, even by a small percentage of people, it is hard to remain silent; it is impossible to remain complacent.

I am a young Jewish woman. I am also fortunate to be a young white Jewish woman. Donald Trump’s election will not harm me as much as it will potentially harm others. This has been clear throughout the campaign and in light of the release of Trump’s plan for his first 100 days in office. However, this is no source of comfort; this is not an excuse for me to believe that everything will be fine, that the next four years will be uncomfortable but manageable. A vocal segment of Trump supporters have continuously been spouting vile antisemitism, among other horrible forms of bigotry. As a Jewish person in America, part of me feels unsafe. Currently I am in a place where I feel physically protected, and for that I recognize that I am fortunate. However, I fear for the overall rise in hateful anti-Jewish sentiments. I have been lucky to experience little antisemitism in my life, and I would be glad never to experience any again. But, as someone who is part of a people that has been historically persecuted and reviled, not only do I see the rise of modern antisemitism, but I also know that hatred against others, creating scapegoats out of “others” can lead to atrocities. I am the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors; how can I sit idly by while others are threatened, are in pain?

To my fellow Jews, we all have a collective memory and an experience of being that “other”. Remember that there are currently people in this country who do not want us here, and now feel validated in their beliefs. In addition to defending our own rights and presence in America, we must reach out to those who are under similar, or worse, attacks. We, as a people who know what baseless hatred is, who know what being persecuted feels like, we have a responsibility to stand up for those who are suffering, we have a responsibility to stand with those who are fighting for justice and equality, and to stand by our beliefs of love, inclusion, and justice. Right now is the time to mobilize, to begin working on tikkun olam, repairing the world. We are in a unique position in which many of us, like myself, have been widely accepted in this country, but also possess an instilled knowledge of what oppression is like. Let this national blunder be the impetus for a lifetime of activism, change, and the spreading of our inherent values of tolerance and justice.