Holly BaylyI have been pretty surprised by the amount of anti-Semitism I’ve seen in the last few weeks. I naively thought this just couldn’t be possible in a country where we have such an acute awareness that such behavior is deplorable and to be condemned. As a Catholic who grew up with a strong love for Israel, Jewish history, as well as a love for Judaism, I am shocked to realize I have excused away the anti-Semitism of the past perpetuated by all sorts of Christians. This is particularly sad to reflect on in the face of prominent Christian influencers that have come out recently to say that if the Jews would have accepted Christ this would have never happened to them. I have been stunned to learn how close to the surface such anti-Semitic sentiments are; it seemed they were ready-made and immediately cropped up everywhere. I feel that being sensitive to the historic Jewish history of its relationship with Christianity should be kept at the forefront of everyone’s mind and to realize that proselytizing or pointing out their “errors” are tragic and insensitive. This course has helped me to see the important questions at play in guiding and informing a helpful or supportive opinion while keeping in mind that the State of Israel was born because no one else wanted them when they had no where else to go. I can’t believe no nation stood up to take them in except the DR.
