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Postcards and Prejudice – Beauty on the surface, bigotry underneath.
Europe is, without question, tantalizingly beautiful.
The castles stand proudly, as if auditioning for a medieval postcard. Cathedrals soar heavenward, eager to prove that stone can pray. Museums brim with artifacts so old that even the security guards look like they were hired in the 1600s. Paintings by the masters hang in solemn dignity — all of it a feast for the eyes.
And Europe does multiculturalism in style. You can see English nobility rubbing elbows with refugees from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The brochures say it’s a haven of tolerance. The press releases practically write themselves. And on paper, the European Union reads like a utopian novel: nations united, working hand in hand, singing “Kumbaya” in 27 different languages. Compared to the United States — which can’t even agree with Canada on maple syrup labeling — it looks impressive.
But scratch the glossy veneer, and a different picture emerges. For all its open-mindedness, Europe remains remarkably consistent in one thing: a centuries-old talent for singling out Jews and the Jewish state.
It started, as it often does, politely. No one yells; they simply announce a ban on wine from Judea and Shomron. Then comes the moral outrage over ritual circumcision and kosher slaughter — apparently, centuries of hunting foxes is humane, but a shochet with a knife is a monster. Soon, we see disinvestment from Israeli companies, academic boycotts, and diplomatic cold shoulders.
Today, the mask is off. Synagogues are vandalized and firebombed. Jews are attacked in the street. Israeli officials are denied visas. Palestinian statehood is endorsed as though it were a new trendy restaurant — “You must try it; it’s so authentic!”
Europe still claims the moral high ground. After all, graffiti slogans about “human rights” are painted on every available wall. But in all my travels, I didn’t see a single protest about Uyghur concentration camps in China, or honor killings in the Muslim world, or political executions in Iran, or government-sanctioned torture in South America. Apparently, the paint budget runs dry unless the cause is Israel.
And here’s the real giveaway: if they truly cared about Palestinians, they’d be condemning Hamas for holding its own people hostage — literally and figuratively. They’d be demanding the release of Israelis kidnapped on October 7th. Instead, their “solidarity” is just a well-worn excuse to condemn the Jews, same as always.
History books call it the Crusades, the Inquisition, the pogroms, the Holocaust. Today, it’s called “humanitarian concern.” Different costume, same plot.
Am I worried? Of course. But am I surprised? Not for a second. This is the oldest political trick in the book: find a Jew, blame him for something, then feel good about yourself for doing it.
Yet here’s the inconvenient truth for history’s repeat offenders: it never works. Pharaoh couldn’t wipe us out. Neither could Haman, Torquemada, Hitler, or the parade of modern imitators. We keep showing up, often with more chutzpah than before.
So yes, Europe can keep its castles, cathedrals, and carefully curated conscience. We’ll keep our Torah, our people, and our land. They’ve been around longer, and they tend to outlast trends.
Am Yisrael Chai — not because it’s catchy, but because it’s a fact.
The Jewish people live. And with God’s help, long after today’s critics are forgotten, we still will.
Rabbi Jack Engel
