Antisemitism Incident Speech


This past Tuesday, I was invited to Murrieta City Hall to address city council in response to an antisemitic incident at a Church a few weeks ago. Councilwoman Lori Stone introduced a resolution about hate and invited me.

While this incident was unfortunate and we’re always on high alert about antisemitism, I think there was something different this time, which is what I spoke about.

Here is what I said:

For millennia, the Jewish people have been waiting for the day when antisemitism will be just a memory. Isaiah famously prophesied of the messiah וגר זאב עם כבש- the wolf will lie with the lamb.

The famous 12th century sage Maimonides, explains that this prophesy is a metaphor. The wolves are the nations of the world and the lamb is the Jewish people. For thousands of years, Jews have been persecuted by their gentile neighbors, but there will be a time when we will be accepted by our neighbors and antisemitism will end.

Even today, as I have been invited here to speak in response to local antisemitism, there is something different, which is indicative of tremendous progress towards the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

When I first told my wife, Natanya about what happened, her first question was, “Why did antisemites target a church? They aren’t even Jewish?” The reason, I explained, is because the gentiles of Murrieta love us so much, they love us more than we love ourselves! They teach about loving the Jewish people so much, that when antisemites want to spread hate, they target a church full of gentiles!

We are tremendously grateful to our gentile friends for their unwavering support of the Jewish people, and, yes, we love you too.

As inspiring as this love is, there is still work to do to uproot antisemitism.

So, what can we do?

In response to all kinds of hate, many well-meaning people introduce resolutions and statements and suggest tolerance and diversity education for children and adults. They take groups on tours of concentration camps, teach about Jewish customs and the holocaust, and erect monuments.

My rabbi, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, also offered a solution for combating anti-Semitism, as well as crime, other types of hate, and indeed, transforming the world into a good place: Teach the 7 Commandments.

You heard me right, not the 10 commandments, but the 7 commandments. At Mt. Sinai, G-d gave the Jewish people 613 Commandments. At the same time, He gave the nations of the world 7 commandments.

The seven commandments are:

  1. Believe in one G-d

  2. Don’t curse G-d

  3. Don’t kill

  4. Don’t steal

  5. Don’t commit adultery

  6. Treat animals nicely

  7. Establish courts of justice

Think about if for a moment. If the entire world kept just these seven commandments, and yes, all seven, the world would be a good place.

It’s time for us to share this message with the world, and through teaching responsibility and accountability for these 7 commandments, may we merit to see the completion of this prophecy, with the coming of the real Moshiach speedily, Amen.

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