Jew haters do not care about Jewish factionalism

Colin Jantjies, Cape Town

It’s not only racist bigots who foment such pain, division, and senseless killing. The killing of the soul and the poisoning of the mind are extreme human frailties. People in positions of leadership in particular should guard their speech. Donald Trump and Julius Malema come to mind.

Of course, there is your average man, too. Having attended both orthodox and progressive shuls, I am constantly reminded how critical the two camps are of each other. How ridiculous to continue this silly, destructive, narrow-mindedness. Jew-haters do not care about Jewish factionalism.

As a Lemba, I have listened to a man who told me that the Lembas are not Halachic, and thus are not Jews. This is in spite of Torah and DNA evidence to the contrary. Getting upset and angry with such ignorant, holier-than-thou, insensitive people is not the solution. It’s what drives and spurs on bigots.

Would anti-Semites discriminate between black and white Jews? Since ancient times, no Jew-hater has ever spared a Jewish community based on colour, nationality, and factionalism. So, why do we persist in being divisive based on such pettiness?