Opinion: I’m A Jew, And I’m Scared

My name is Adam Eisenberg. I turned 25 a couple weeks ago. I’m currently a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder. I am a Jew. And I am terrified.

Since the October 7^th massacre there has been a dramatic increase in acts of antisemitism, antisemitic vitriol, and hate crimes perpetrated against Jews. This is not what scares me. I was taught early on by both my parents and the history books that people will hate us simply for being Jews. As much as I despise antisemitism, I am not frightened of it. I am however, deeply, deeply disgusted with the language and rhetoric being used. Jewish students at Columbia University were told to “go back to Poland.” A professor at the University College of London, who taught the history of Israel, spread blood libel. A man who killed two Jews in DC has been propped up as a folk hero like Luigi Mangione. This does not scare me. An unfortunate consequence of being a Jew is that there are going to be people who feel we do not belong anywhere, at any time.

On the other side of the political aisle, swastikas have been sprayed on the sides of synagogues. People spread the myth that there is a “Zionist Occupied Government.” And Paul Ingrassia, President Trump’s pick to run the Office of Special Counsel, was determined to be a self-admitted Nazi. This does not scare me. Antisemitism has always existed on the right and has always been a problem. For example, people like Nick Fuentes who believes that “organized Jewry” runs the world. I have come to expect antisemitism from the radical right, and I no longer fear it.

Jews on the right have failed to address any atrocities committed by Israel during the past two years. They blame any such wrongdoings on Hamas or make excuses or equivocations. While actively attempting to deflect criticism under the guise of antisemitism.

Jews on the left have claimed that any Jew who is even remotely Zionist is not a real Jew. They have denied any atrocities committed by Hamas and have actively supported “armed resistance.” And they have made the repeated claim that because most modern Jews can trace their roots to Europe, we do not actually have any claim to our homeland.

Neither of these things scare me. I’m a journalism student; I’m used to political discourse and unorthodox opinions at this point. My first discussion in one of my first journalism classes was debating whether a private media company had any claim to legitimacy after they participated in the January 6^th riot.

What scares me is the division, and the similarities. Jews who do not accept Israeli atrocities are accused of being self-hating. Jews who do not accept calls for the destruction of our only homeland are accused of being “Zio-nazis.” Where does that leave Jews like me? Jews who believe that Israel committed a genocide, but do not believe in the destruction of the nation? I do not feel safe with the people on the right because of their endorsement of nazis. But I don’t feel safe with the people on the left because of their celebration of acts of terror.

I do not look Jewish. I do not wear a kippah. And I wasn’t even truly connected to this identity until after October 7^th. But I still fear for all Jews, everywhere, in every country, of every political affiliation. I fear this awful war will tear us apart, that we will be defined by the choices we made, and the ones we didn’t. I fear that five years from now any allies we have will abandon us because we are “the ones who rule things.” And the ones on the left who accept us because we do not accept Israel, will turn on us because we were responsible for so much pain in the history of the conflict. I fear for the people targeted by violence in Gaza and the West Bank. And I fear that we will lose our homeland and never be able to return to it.

When I was a child, I used to open Hannukah presents from my family. I used to hope for chocolates and Hot Wheels cars. As an adult I have a much different hope for this Hannukah. I hope for peace. For all Jews, and all Palestinians, everywhere in the world.