One clear factor fueling antisemitism in America is demography; another is a reluctance to enforce protective laws for fear of being labeled “racist” or “Islamophobic.”

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Regrettably, antisemitism, which is a genuine form of racism, does not generate the level of urgency and force that other forms of discrimination have elicited.  As the number of Muslims in the U.S. increase figures, such as Mamdani, will garner increased influence in a number of spheres — political being the most obvious.  The movement under which the Muslims have risen politically, Democratic Socialism, is rife with antisemitism — a blind hatred of Israel and Jews. 

The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold “birthright citizenship,” which has already eroded the demographic makeup of America, presents continued challenges.  Presidents Obama and Biden opened America’s gates to millions of illegal aliens who sneaked in across the U.S. border with Mexico.  Those who entered were not only Latin Americans, but also malignant elements from Islamist terror countries.  Additionally, for example, under the protection of birthright citizenship, pregnant women, many of whom are Chinese, have been coming to America on a 180-day tourist visa and giving birth to “American citizens” — children who could someday become part of the U.S. political system and even attain the presidency!

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Islamist funding from Qatar and Turkey, and other Muslim states, have had a deleterious impact on America’s campuses, with anti-Israel and anti-Jewish riots having taken place at Ivy League schools such as Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania.  Neither the U.S. Congress nor the Executive Branch has prevented the ideological Muslim Brotherhood states of Qatar and Turkey and others from pouring billions into these campuses.

As the number of Bible-believing European Christians continues to decline, especially among the young, so does the impact of the covenant that the early pilgrims submitted themselves to uphold — namely, the teachings of the Hebrew Bible and their gratitude for the values the Jewish people endowed to America and mankind.

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In a 1630 sermon entitled “A Model of Christian Charity,” John Winthrop closed with the words of Moses to the children of Israel, who were about to enter the Promised Land, urging his followers “to love the Lord our God, and to love one another, to walk in His ways and to keep His Commandments and His Ordinance and His laws, and the articles of our Covenant with Him.”

America’s founding fathers repeatedly expressed admiration for the Jewish contribution to civilization.  President John Adams wrote, “The Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation ... and have influenced the affairs of mankind more and more happily than any other nation, ancient or modern.”

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In 1891, evangelical minister William E. Blackstone presented a petition to President Benjamin Harrison calling for the restoration of Palestine to the Jewish people: “According to God’s distribution of nations it is their home — an inalienable possession.”  Signatories included J.P. Morgan; John D. Rockefeller; the chief justice of the Supreme Court; members of Congress; governors; mayors; and other officials, publishers, educators, and clergymen.

Thus, the bond between America and the Jewish people did not begin with the creation of the modern state of Israel and predates America’s founding 250 years ago.  This relationship was never simply diplomatic.  It was covenantal.

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Jewish immigrants who came to America at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries arrived dirt-poor, lived in cramped spaces (such as in the Lower East Side of New York City), and were helped by Jewish charities.  There were no social programs or welfare assistance that today’s immigrants access with ease.  Within a generation, through hard work and an emphasis on education and ingenuity, they achieved middle-class status.  In the process, they contributed enormously to America’s culture and economy.

The story of the modern Jewish state is similar.  In the early years, Israel was a poor socialist state, but through determination, grit, and resilience, Israel grew to become a technological giant.  Its population has prospered, and its living standards have reached levels comparable to the highest in E.U. countries.  All of this engenders the envy of the world. 

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The U.S.-Israel relationship did not begin with the intelligence-sharing, the joint military exercises, or Israeli innovations, including with water, medicine, and cybersecurity, though all of that matters enormously.  It began with our two nations, born out of the same audacious idea that people can covenant themselves to liberty and to law under God.

It may be that at 250 years old, America does not need more allies, but it should remember and appreciate its origins and covenantal heritage.  America and Israel both sprouted from the pages of the Jewish Bible and share a common script that reflects our identity and impacts our view of the world.

As U.S. demography changes, we see that there is “a generation (and demography) that did not know Joseph,” to paraphrase Exodus 1:8 (referencing how a new Egyptian king, who did not know how Joseph had saved Egypt during the seven lean years, treated the Jews when he came to power).  The rise and ferocity of antisemitism manifested in anti-Jewish and anti-Christian heritage is not only rooted in economics or the issue of affordability of life in American cities, but in an envy that has turned to hate and contempt, fostered by social media influencers.  Jews have always been an easy target for bullies due to their small numbers and their generally successful rise from poverty.

Should America submit to the antisemitism of old Europe and the Islamist ideology, it is bound to fall from G-d’s grace, as has happened to other nations throughout history.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.