Like a boulder plunked into a pond, the 2023 Israel-Hamas war has seen dramatic rippling effects around the world. The latest addition to the centuries-long history of the Middle East has sent deep rifts through the greater global community as the world is brutally reminded of the weight, nuance, and trauma surrounding the land that both Jews and Palestinians call their ancestral, indigenous home. Of particular concern, the war has also triggered skyrocketing rates of both antisemitism and Islamophobia around the world. In the United States, both antisemitism and Islamophobia are at all-time highs, as reported by their respective record-keeping bodies, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). 

    As mental health professionals, we cannot remain silent bystanders in the face of prejudice, and we are in a unique position to make meaningful contributions to this fight. Both Islamophobia and antisemitism require individualized attention and advocacy. Based on the writer's experience and areas of expertise, this article will primarily focus on the latter. As many mental health professionals report a perceived lack of knowledge about antisemitism or how to fight it, this article outlines the initial steps individuals can take to combat antisemitism. 

    The first step to addressing antisemitism is acknowledging our antisemitism, which is often profoundly subconscious. Not unlike racism and other learned forms of discrimination, antisemitism is rarely apparent. "Antisemitism dresses for the occasion," says Vlad Khaykin, National Director of Antisemitism Programming for the ADL. It is easy to spot antisemitism when it shows up in cargo shorts and flip-flops at a black-tie event. Antisemitism is known for following the metaphorical dress code: it blends in well because it is insidious and chameleonic, dressed in the same fashion as everyone else. Like switching on a UV light in a public space, when one's mind becomes attuned to this phenomenon, antisemitism is suddenly visible everywhere, from media to the news to discussion of the Middle East. The good news is that data supports the idea that it does not take overwhelming effort to address one's own antisemitic biases, as research out of the ADL in 2023 found that simply learning about antisemitism showed a reduction of antisemitic bias.

    The next step applies to the public but is especially relevant to psychology, including Jews under the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) umbrella. Ethical codes for mental health professionals often mandate the continued push for cultural competence and social justice values. Jews are usually excluded from DEI due to the false belief that "all" Jews are white and are thus incapable of experiencing oppression.

     In Elizabeth Redden's reporting for Inside Higher Ed, formal complaints filed against the Stanford University Counseling Center's DEI committee stated, "DEI committee members reasoned that because Jews, unlike other minority groups, possess privilege and power, Jews and victims of Jew-hatred do not merit or necessitate the attention of the DEI committee." 

     Such rationale is dangerous in proliferating antisemitism tropes of Jewish

power and immunity from discrimination and oppression. It is vital to acknowledge

that because America was built on racism, its systemic presence continues

to oppress people of color to this day, and people with light skin, regardless  

of their identity, benefit from white privilege. In this way, Jews with light skin

benefit from privilege in America, but it is essential to know that Jews come

from all colors and ethnicities, and it is incorrect to state that all Jews are white.

Despite this privilege that some Jews may experience, Jews are consistently

overrepresented in hate crime statistics. Antisemitic acts consistently represent

more than half of all hate crimes against religious groups in the U.S., despite Jews

comprising only about 2.4% of the American population. In short, Jews are a minority

group who are all too often victims of discrimination despite frequently benefiting from white privilege and must be included under DEI umbrellas in fighting all forms of oppression.

    So, you may be asking, what can I do? Just like antisemitism needs to be taken seriously in DEI spaces, antisemitism needs to be taken just as seriously when it comes to your professional or personal life. The first step is believing Jews when they tell you about antisemitism. A common antisemitic trope is denying Jewish trauma, from casual antisemitism to the Holocaust, to the point where many Jews almost expect not to be believed if they come forward. We know from the literature on trauma that not being believed adversely impacts a survivor's healing and that legitimizing responses can improve outcomes. 

    Secondly, antisemitism needs to be called out and responded to with the same intention and conviction that other acts of discrimination should be handled. If antisemitism goes unchecked, it sets an uncomfortable and problematic norm for a space in normalizing such conduct. That said, the counterpart to naming antisemitism is responding to it, and antisemitism is often swept under the rug when it is reported. Whether it's an update in clinic policies, taking appropriate formal or informal disciplinary action, or considering additional security, swift and effective responses to antisemitism or discrimination need to become part of our new normal.

    Finally, one of the best and perhaps most straightforward ways to combat antisemitism is interpersonally: to connect with your sense of shared humanity by checking in, empathizing, and learning from Jewish people about antisemitism. Experiencing discrimination is an objectively upsetting and potentially traumatizing experience. Check on the Jewish people in your life, whether they are colleagues, patients, or friends. Something as simple as engaging in active listening and offering sympathy and support can go a long way, and offering advocacy can go even further. Being such a minority, Jewish people often feel isolated and alone, and this feeling has only been exacerbated during the war. Fighting antisemitism can also look like fostering a sense of community.

     Jews deserve to be fully embraced, with the freedom to define their own Judaism, rather than being scapegoated and ostracized by those who protest Israel and demand unequivocal disavowal of Israel as the only acceptable stance for a Jew to have. In a world of dehumanization, everyone, including Jews, deserves to be treated as a human being.