The ancient virus returns

Alvin H. Rosenfeld included this quotation in his essay on “Progressive” Jewish Thought and the New Anti-Semitism (available from the American Jewish Committee):

Yet I have come to believe, these past few years, that the emergence of a new strain of the ancient virus is one of the most frightening phenomena of my lifetime – because it’s happened after sixty years of Holocaust education, antiracist legislation and interfaith dialogue. — Jonathan Sacks, UK Chief Rabbi

What does this teach us? Something about unintended consequences, something about our monumental lack of understanding of psychology — particularly of groups — or perhaps something about the true perversity and darkness of the human soul.

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