Avi Benlolo: Spitting at Christians is an affront to human decency and the Jewish faith

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I’ve dedicated my entire career to fostering interfaith relationships aimed at defending and safeguarding the State of Israel, while actively promoting awareness of its remarkable and inclusive society. However, this week, I found myself initiating an interfaith dialogue within a synagogue by vehemently denouncing the shocking and disgraceful incidents involving Jews spitting at Christian worshippers celebrating the Feast of the Tabernacles in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is a city that’s open to all faiths and cultures. Since Israel’s independence in 1948, every religious group has been welcomed and protected in what is often described as the beating heart of people of faith. However, earlier this week, videos and reports began circulating showing mainly young ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) boys spitting at the Christian faithful as they marched by.

In recent months, there has been a rise in similar incidents targeting Christians. It’s important for my Christian friends to know that Jewish leaders have condemned this despicable behaviour.

Jewish communities are horrified and have demanded immediate action. Arrests have been made, but it’s not enough. Education must be prioritized, in order to foster understanding. Thus, in my opening remarks at the launch of an interfaith dialogue in New York, dubbed the “Dialogue of Civilizations,” I condemned these incidents and commended the Christian community for standing with Israel.

Every community has its ignoramuses and radicals. That’s why my foundation, the Abraham Global Peace Initiative, in collaboration with the Dubai-based Crossroads of Civilizations Museum, launched this new dialogue to celebrate the Abrahamic faiths and initiate our own truth and reconciliation process among people of goodwill.

Historically, radicals have often prevailed because they’re willing to resort to violence, death and destruction. Most people, out of fear or through social or religious manipulation, usually go along to get along. The Dialogue of Civilizations aims to break down barriers, unite people of faith and build a movement for the greater good.

Together with my Muslim friend, Ahmed Obaid AlMansoori, we’re confronting stereotypes by openly discussing challenging issues, such as terrorism, antisemitism, Holocaust denial and how to dispel prejudices against each other’s faiths that exist in both societies. For our next event, we will be inviting a Christian faith leader to join our dialogue and continue expanding from there.

Progress is already being made. AlMansoori runs a first-of-its-kind Holocaust exhibit at his museum in Dubai. He says that, for the first time, many Emiratis have an opportunity to interact with artifacts, understand the history and appreciate the Jewish faith.

Education is key to fostering interfaith awareness, compassion and kindness. As an academic educated in Holocaust studies, and having led high-level non-Jewish groups to Auschwitz with Max Eisen more than 10 times, I’ve arrived at three basic observations that can improve the human condition and prevent acts of hate and violence, big or small.

First and foremost, our lives should not be treated like a spectator sport. The Holocaust — and many other genocides that occurred before and after, including in Armenia, Rwanda and Cambodia — happen because of mass complacency. All of us need to act when we see people around us treat others poorly.

Second, because populations tend to become complacent toward violence, they can easily succumb to the will of small, radicalized groups. Through manipulation and propaganda, the masses can easily be turned against the other, who are often portrayed as inferior.

Third, individually and as a society, we must strive to keep our primal instincts in check. While humanity has achieved miraculous inventions and scientific advancements, we haven’t been able to overcome our basic instinct to hate and resort to violence. The numerous conflicts around the world are evidence enough.

We must speak out against all forms of hate and intolerance. Spitting on Christians, or anyone else, is shameful, especially in Jerusalem, the city ostensibly known as the “City of Peace.” It goes against all moral values and ethics in the Jewish faith. On behalf of all of us in the Jewish community, we apologize to our Christian friends and thank them for standing up for Israel. We pledge to fight against this and all other forms of hatred. Silence is not an option.

National Post

Avi Benlolo is the founder and chairman of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative.