by Elisa Garfagna
Contemporary antisemitism has taken on a new guise, evolving into something profoundly different from what we knew in the past. What we see today in our societies is no longer the classic antisemitism, but rather a phenomenon that could be described as a “Palestinianization” or sectarian “Islamization” that has permeated the social fabric of the West.
Jewish communities, often distant from Israel, face this new reality with apprehension. However, it is time to recognize that we are being targeted not as individual followers of the Jewish faith, but as members of the people of Israel. This realization, instead of weakening us, should strengthen our collective identity and our ability to respond.
History teaches us a painful lesson: every time Jews have tried to deny their belonging to the people of Israel, they have faced persecution. The refusal to acknowledge our collective identity has always led to tragic consequences. As emerged during an important discussion within the Milan community: why should the people of Israel hide? This is not about individual Jews practicing their religion, but about an entire people with a millennia-old history.
Our weakness stems from the refusal of some to see themselves as part of the Jewish people. If the surrounding society does not recognize us as Italians, French, or Americans, why insist on this effort at assimilation? There is nothing shameful about belonging to a people that has scattered and reconstituted itself throughout history.
Within Jewish communities, a silent civil war is being fought between those who consciously accept being part of the people of Israel and those striving for assimilation. The crucial question is: how do we choose to defend ourselves? As Jews seeking to blend into society or as the people of Israel, proud of our identity?
A striking example: when an Italian emigrates to America, they are not threatened with slogans like “Death to Italians” and gradually integrate into society. A Jew, however, is attacked specifically because they are Jewish, recognized as part of a distinct people. If even our enemies identify us as a people, why should we continue denying this reality?
From the era of the Inquisition to the present day, the paradigm has not changed: the “good Jews” have always been those who renounce their identity—once by abandoning Judaism, now by disassociating from Israel. In essence, those who deny their people.
This issue boils down to a fundamental dilemma: are we merely followers of a religion—a concept for which there isn’t even a specific term in Hebrew—or are we a people with a distinct identity? The answer lies in our millennia-old history and in the way the world continues to perceive us. It is time to embrace this truth and act accordingly.
This examination of contemporary Jewish identity resonates powerfully in the words of the Book of Exodus (19:5-6):
“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
These words, spoken at Mount Sinai, encapsulate the essence of the divine covenant, which defines not only the religious but also the national dimension of the Jewish people. The concept of a “treasured possession” (segulah) underscores the unique and distinctive nature of Jewish identity, while the phrase “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” highlights the dual vocation of the Jewish people: to preserve their uniqueness while engaging with other nations.
This ancient calling echoes with urgency today.
It is not merely a religious mandate but an affirmation of a collective identity that transcends religious practices. To be a “kingdom of priests” entails a responsibility both within and outside the community, much as the current challenge demands a response that balances asserting Jewish identity with engaging with the broader world.
The biblical text reminds us that Jewish identity was never conceived as a purely individual or exclusively religious matter but as a national belonging with a universal mission. Just as our ancestors at Sinai had to consciously choose to embrace this collective mission, so today every Jew is called to reaffirm their place within the people of Israel—not as a burden to conceal, but as a legacy to honor and preserve for future generations.