By Yelena Margolin, Newtonville

And Irene Margolin-Katz, Chestnut Hill

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism was recently endorsed by the Massachusetts Special
Commission on Combating Antisemitism, which includes Newton mayor Ruthanne Fuller. This definition warns against demonization of Israel and was formally adopted by several towns in Massachusetts, such as Sharon, Sudbury and Gloucester. The city of Newton, which has, proportionally, one of the largest Jewish populations in the U.S., should be applying this definition of antisemitism.

The IHRA definition of antisemitism was criticized in these pages by Margaret Litvin. Ms. Litvin denies that this definition counters the Soviet-originated anti-Jew propaganda equating Zionism with racism. She uses her status as a Soviet Jew to argue that Soviet antisemitism was “systemic racism” dissociated from the anti-Zionist stance of the Soviet government because Soviet Jews did not really have a connection to Israel. Ms. Litvin objects to the IHRA definition of antisemitism because it allegedly falsely associates all Jews with Israel.

As Soviet Jews who grew up in the former Soviet Union and personally experienced Soviet antisemitism, we state that Soviet antisemitism cannot be dissociated from anti-Zionism. In fact, Soviet antisemitism relied on age-old antisemitic tropes to promote anti-Zionist ideology and built upon the connection that Soviet Jews felt toward Israel, thus fueling state-sponsored antisemitism.

Support of Israel was, and continues to be, a defining characteristic of Soviet Jewry. In the Soviet Union, all religious practice was discouraged, and practicing Judaism was dangerous and risked prosecution by the Soviet regime. As a result, the majority of Soviet Jews were not religious. It was Israel that connected Soviet Jews to our history, our culture and our people.

When Golda Meir visited Moscow in 1948 as Israel’s first ambassador, thousands of people descended on the Moscow synagogue to get a glimpse of her and show solidarity with the new Jewish state. Similar crowds came out to celebrate Israel’s victory in the wars of 1967 and 1973, despite the risk of persecution by the Soviet government aligned with the Arab armies against Israel. The book “Exodus” by Leon Uris, a heroic tale of the founding of Israel, was a cult book among Soviet Jews, which was secretly translated into Russian and distributed through Samizdat, a clandestine distribution system. This book was a great inspiration to the Soviet Jews because it described Jews who do not apologize for who they are, and who are ready to fight for their country.

These are just a few of the numerous examples of Soviet Jews demonstrating their connection with Israel during the times of tightly
controlled information and Israel being demonized by the Soviet authorities. This connection resulted in approximately 1 million Soviet Jews immigrating to Israel, and they now constitute a fifth of Israel’s population.

Those Soviet Jews who immigrated to the United States maintained their strong connection to Israel. Results of the 2024 Survey by the American Russian-Speaking Jews Alliance show that 67% of respondents rated Israel as being most important to them; 86% donated to an Israeli cause; and 74% went to a pro-Israel / fight antisemitism rally.

The antisemitism that Soviet Jews faced was fueled by the anti-Zionist stance of the Soviet government, which started with the Cold War and grew exponentially after Israel’s victory in the Six Day War. Jews were accused of being Zionists, and, thus, the enemies of the Soviet regime. As Ms. Litvin describes herself, Jews were shut out from certain jobs, were refused admission to universities, Jewish cultural institutions were almost nonexistent, and study of Hebrew and Torah would get you a visit from the KGB. Soviet antisemitism was rooted in existing antisemitic tropes already prevalent in Soviet society which associated Israel with all the ills of the world. Zionists were everywhere, and they controlled the press, the financial world, the politicians, and had to be fought everywhere.

Sounds familiar? It should, as we hear the exact same tropes today. We see the same dynamic today in the U.S., where antisemites use “anti-Israel is not antisemitic” rhetoric to create a hostile environment for all Jews and push them out of the public spaces.

We have personally seen how demonization of Israel turns into hate and violence against any Jew. This is why the IHRA definition of antisemitism warns against demonization of Israel. This definition is a useful tool to help people understand what is antisemitic. It also helps make sure that age old Soviet propaganda stays far away from the public discourse here in the United States.

We are impressed by the work of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism and are grateful to the State Senator Velis and State Representative Cataldo for leading this effort. Much remains to be done, but the important work that has already been accomplished will make a big difference in the lives of citizens of the Commonwealth, and those here in Newton.