The tangled roots of modern anti-Semitism

Most of us, I would think, have watched in dismay at the spectre of anti-Semitism which seems to be haunting the Labour Party. It is truly appalling that a decent MP like Luciana Berger has had so much anti-Jewish abuse that she – along with others – has felt the need to leave the party for which she represented a Liverpool constituency. That she happens to be pregnant as well makes it even more offensive – surely a measure of civilised standards is that pregnant women are treated with respect and care. Diane Abbott protests that the Labour Party opposed racism throughout its history and therefore anti-Semitism (or any other form of prejudice, such as Islamophobia) is alien to its collective character. Yet I don’t think this is a sufficient explanation for the anti-Semitic scourge. I have researched much-published material on anti-Semitism, and prejudice against Jews is not quite the same as racial bigotry, in my experience. It seems to me that anti-Semitism has often been based on jealousy and envy of Jewish success – in many areas of endeavour, from the arts to show business, academia and the world of commerce. Other forms of prejudice, such as racism, are often based on something quite different: looking down on people of other races, and a belief in one’s own racial superiority. There are other factors in the mix. Christians have to own up to historical injustices against Jews across Western societies. And, especially on the Left, a continually negative attitude to Israel has prompted an anti-Semitic resurgence. Any democratic country is open to robust criticism, but some anti-Israeli hostility is just old-style anti-Semitism in new livery. Anti-Semitism must be quashed; but it also must be analysed honestly.

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A very engaging little story was recently cited in the parish newsletter of Ennis Cathedral in Co Clare in the west of Ireland. And everyone takes something different from it. In Washington, DC, outside a Metro station, a man appeared on a cold winter’s day and began playing a violin. He played six Bach pieces over the course of 45 minutes, while about 2,000 people passed through the station. A few individuals stopped to listen for a moment or two. Some passers-by tossed money into his hat and hurried past. A young man stopped for a while to listen, then looked at his watch and moved on. Two young children were drawn by the music and wanted to stop and listen, but in both cases their mothers insisted on dragging them away. About 20 people gave the musician money, but only six people stopped to listen to the music. After an hour, the musician finished playing and put his instrument away. No one seemed to notice the silence and no one applauded the performance. There was $32 collected in his hat. The performer was, in fact, Joshua Bell, one of the world’s greatest violinists. “He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 millions,” the Ennis newsletter explains. Two days previously Mr Bell had performed at a sell-out concert in Boston where tickets cost $100 each. Do we appreciate what is before our eyes? That’s one message. When I recounted the anecdote to a group of mothers, they thought it significant that the children wanted to listen, but were hurried on by their parents. Another message might be: events so often depend on context. If you are told this is one of the greatest musicians in the world, you’re impressed. If you just hear him busking outside a railway station, little attention is paid. Some people, perhaps taking pity, did donate money, and tried to be charitable in that way. That’s another possible interpretation.

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All over Continental Europe, this week, folks have been celebrating Carnival as a pre-Lenten jollification. Perhaps those British “Remain” voters who are so keen to keep this country within the EU could try restoring European traditions such as Mardi Gras as a prelude to Lent. And perhaps International Women’s Day – which falls this Friday – has now become a replacement for a Christian feast that was once meaningful in Britain, “Lady Day”, on March 25. Follow Mary Kenny on Twitter: @MaryKenny4