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The Jews

Bill Tope

    With the rise of the many hate groups representative of the 21st century—the Proud Boys, Skin Heads, Oath Keepers, countless “militias” and other assorted nutballs—anti-Semitism has risen to the forefront of our experience. But anti-Semitism is as old as the ages and did it ever really leave us?
    I remember as a boy the presence of a number of upscale Jewish merchants in my home town: Candy Bill’s sweet shop; Phoebe Goldberg’s women’s fashions; and Trattler’s men’s wear. One of my classmates at high school referred pejoratively to Trattler’s proprietor as “Jerry the Jew” to the uproarious laughter of his cohorts.
    Candy Bill—I don’t know if I ever knew his real name, it was always just Candy Bill—was derided for his faith as a “Christ killer,” and for the fact that he “kept to himself.” “He is a Jew,” people said, but conceded that “he does make good candy.” So, presumably, they could tolerate him.
     As far as Goldberg’s is concerned, people referred to her as a rich witch, or something close to that. These folks have all passed on and their progeny—if any—chose not to follow in their footsteps, at least not in my home town. Or maybe it’s just a sign of the economic times.
    Not being jewish, I don’t experience first hand the insensitivity and animus visited upon the Jews by otherwise well-meaning—but, let’s face it, stupid—people.
    I’d like to think that my fellow citizens have moved beyond baseless prejudice and superstitious bias, but I don’t know...
    After all, the Proud Boys come from somewhere!

 

Story previous publication attribution is to The Telegraph newspaper in Alton, Illinois.

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