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Our Greatest Enemy

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By Avi Frier - FJN Publisher

If you’ve been reading the Florida Jewish News regularly for the past few weeks, you’ve already discovered my television weakness, the one show I can’t miss: The Apprentice .

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This week, I taped the show (since it aired while I would still be at shul celebrating Purim with my children). I sat down to watched it as soon as I arrived home, the words of Megillat Esther , the story of the birth of modern Anti Semitism, still fresh in my mind.

In case you’re not an Apprentice watcher, let me give you a very quick backgrounder: Two teams compete in various business-related tasks, each player hoping to ultimately become Donald Trump’s apprentice. This season, there are three Jews on one of the teams, two of whom are Orthodox. The third is a non-observant Jew, a Russian immigrant named Lenny.

In Monday’s episode, the two Orthodox contestants inform their teammates that they would be missing this week’s task, since it would be occurring during Rosh Hashanah (the entire season is pre-taped).

The team treats their decision with respect (as does Donald Trump himself later in the show), except for one player. You guessed it: Lenny.

While their non-Jewish teammates are disappointed that they’ll be short two men on the task, they understand that this is the way it has to be. Lenny, on the other hand, accuses them of using Rosh Hashanah as an excuse to get out of working.

Over the years, I have come to the realization that there are far more Lennys in our society than there are Hamans.

For better or for worse, Western society has become a place where people’s religious convictions are respected by those around them. Funny thing, though. With all of our society’s progressiveness, and all of our desire to be just as progressive, society seems to have left us behind in the tolerance department.

There’s a story told about Rabbi Abraham Twersky, who dresses in Chassidic garb, that he was once approached by a very irate Jew.

"What’s the matter with you?" the stranger demanded. "Why do you insist on prancing around in that medieval get-up? Don’t you realize how ridiculous you look? You bring scorn and derision onto all Jews!"

"I don’t understand what you mean," Rabbi Twersky responded. "I am Amish and this is the mode of dress that we’ve maintained throughout the generations. How does my garb affect the Jews?"

"I beg your forgiveness," pleaded the quickly back-pedaling Jew. "I didn’t realize that you were Amish. You should know that I only have the utmost respect for you and your people—keeping your ways without bowing to society’s whims of the day."

"Well, in fact, I am Jewish," Rabbi Twersky informed the now thoroughly confused fellow. "Why can you respect in others what you can’t respect in yourself?"

Whether or not this story is true I have yet to uncover (any help, readers?). Either way, the lesson remains.

We have won the tolerance of almost everyone around us, yet we remain our own worst enemy.

Each and every person reading this article can think of a confrontation they’ve had with a "self-hating Jew." Whether it was at work, at school, or in dealings with the local homeowners’ association, we’ve all experienced some form of internal Anti-Semitism.

And this is not a simple "black and white" matter of non-observant vs. Orthodox. How frequently do we find ourselves looking down our noses at a fellow Jew because he does not fit our mould? How do the Modern Orthodox treat those that are "more to the right?" How do the Yeshivish view the Chassidish? How do the Ashkenazim look at the Sephardim? (And to all of these questions we can tack on a great big "vice-versa.")

Many will argue that society’s acceptance of our religious convictions represents the roots of assimilation and the beginning of the end for our people. That it’s only when we are not too comfortable that we are able to maintain a strong identity as a people.

Fine. I can accept that argument. But is that any reason to carry the same discomfort over into the way we interact with our own people?

In the story of Purim, it was only when the Jewish people pulled together that they were able to overcome the threats of the wicked Haman. And if we are to survive today’s threats of assimilation and whatever Anti-Semitism still exists in our society, it is necessary that we set aside our differences and pull together as well.


Posted by Avi Frier - FJN Publisher on 03/16 at 02:04 PM • Hits: 934



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