Since October 7, 2023, and especially over the past year, I’ve grown increasingly frustrated with all the antisemitism, protesting, and anti-Jewish propaganda that fills my inbox, TV, and social media feeds. It seems like the world has gone mad, openly supporting terrorist groups and doing mental gymnastics to convince the masses it is a noble cause.
A few weeks ago, New York City, which has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel and is the center for global capitalism, eagerly supported an openly socialist and antisemitic mayoral candidate who won’t condemn the word “intifada,” which calls for the violent destruction of Jews. I would say we live in unprecedented times, but unfortunately today’s events are reminiscent of Germany in the 1930s.
The question many Jews struggle with is “what can I do to effect change?” Most of us won’t get a spot on Piers Morgan to debate the latest antisemitic ignoramus guest that he decides to platform. Few of us have the debating skills and national profile of Ben Shapiro, Natasha Hausdorff, Ami Kozak, Douglas Murray, or Konstantin Kisin. While it’s important to have articulate advocates representing Israel and the Jewish people, what is the average person’s role in improving the plight of Jews around the world?
I heard an interview with Bret Stephens, a Jewish New York Times columnist, where he offered a poignant challenge to the Jewish community to fight antisemitism. He said to “get 10% Jewier” in their daily lives. He clarified that this doesn’t necessarily have to be through religious observance. Simply embrace and express your Jewish identity in a way that feels authentic to you. That is the role of every Jew. Ultimately, I believe investing in ourselves and our own commitment to Yiddishkeit will strengthen the Jewish community to overcome the current challenges.
In the investing world, there is a concept called “Impact Investing.” This approach aims to align a person’s values with their money and resources. I’ve suggested the following multipronged approach to my Jewish clients who are looking to express their ideals and help effect change with their money:
Invest your money: In today’s world, it’s easy to invest your money to benefit Israel and fight antisemitism. You can purchase one of the many Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that hold exclusively Israel based companies. You can purchase Israeli bonds. You can also directly buy stocks of Israeli based companies. Furthermore, there are many U.S. based companies with large operations in Israel. By owning their stock, you are also supporting businesses that are benefiting the Israeli economy. There are also investment products on the market now that have the stated objective of investing money in companies that actively fight antisemitism. Another suggestion is to actively invest in companies listed on the BDS website, ones they want to ban for supporting Israel, to counter BDS propaganda.
Regardless of the road you choose, it’s important to work with your financial advisor to determine a strategy that allows you to achieve your goals while supporting the global Jewish community.
Invest in your community: Strengthening one’s local Jewish community is a wonderful way to help fight antisemitism. You can participate in your local branch of CSS (i.e. Community Security Service), which is a 501(c)3, national organization that works to safeguard the Jewish community by offering free security services.
Other ways of investing in your community include showing up to events, shiurim, and bringing in speakers. The antisemites seek to instill fear. Anything that increases the vibrancy of Jewish life is a direct way to fight against the antisemitic efforts.
Philanthropic giving: Where folks decide to allocate their charitable dollars is a powerful way of aligning money with their values. The first step is to commit to giving 10% of your annual net income to charity. I would urge folks to direct the lion’s share of their philanthropic dollars to causes that benefit Jews, Judaism, and Israel. There is no shortage of great causes out there, but there is a finite number of donors giving to Jewish organizations.
Discretionary spending: As I tell my clients, if you want to know what you really value in life, look at where you spend your money. We are all guilty, to some extent, of saying we care about things, but behaving in a contrary way. I would encourage readers to evaluate their expenses, as well as their portfolio, to determine where they spend and invest their money. Understanding where our money goes can be very revealing. It will help direct what we need to do to be more impactful with our dollars, reflecting the values by which we want to live and those that we want to pass down to the next generation.
If you are passionate about Israel and the plight of Jews around the world, then your discretionary dollars should be spent to support those areas. This may mean spending your next vacation in Israel instead of a cruise in the Mediterranean or safari in Kenya. Whether you need a product, service, or are looking to have a nice time with your family, taking the time to find Jewish entrepreneurs to fulfill those needs will help strengthen the Jewish community. In a world with so much anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, the Jewish community’s motto for spending should be “Support Jewish.”
Invest your time in learning Torah: Historically, the best way of overcoming antisemitism has been the study of Torah. A commitment to our faith has been the reason our people continue to survive through millennia. The Romans, Crusaders, European Monarchs, Islamic Caliphates, Nazis, and so on have all come and gone. Yet, the Jews and their commitment to Yiddishkeit has remained.
In today’s technologically advanced world, it’s easier than ever to learn Torah. While going to a shiur in shul is always rewarding, you can also go online or download a podcast to hear a shiur on any topic you desire, Gemara, halacha, Tanach, the parsha, you name it. Carving out at least 15 minutes a day to learn and reinforce your Jewishness may be the ultimate way to overcome this latest antisemitic wave.
Sticking together: The hatred of the Jews is as old as time. Collectively, we have gone through cycles of hatred and violence throughout the ages. We cannot always control or stop the world’s madness. However, the one thing that is within our control is to stick together and invest in ourselves. This means investing in our people, communities, and culture. Eventually, the mobs of protestors will subside, the hateful politicians will be voted out of office, and Israel, which is a beacon of light in a turbulent world, will not be the focus of the world’s ire. In the meantime, recommitting to our Jewishness is the ultimate way to overcome adversity and continue succeeding in this volatile world.
