Isaac Grand Grapples With UK Antisemitism
While there is about 3,700 miles between Devon, UK and Cincinnati, OH there are a shocking amount of similarities between two Jews from those places. I’ve known Isaac Grand for over two years now; meeting at a Matisyahu concert, turning into friendship and now both of us work together for StandWithUs UK. But before we get there, we need to go back to our childhoods first.
I’ve grown up a bit all over the place– Maryland, Springfield and eventually Cincinnati. Isaac is a born and bred Devonite (that’s the nickname I’ve given the people). Obviously the English countryside has many different attributes setting it apart from Springfield, but one thing we have in common– we’re Jews separate from the herd. Although growing up away from the heart of a community does leave you lacking in terms of kashrut, it always tends to season your Judaism to a potent flavor. Of course, this flavor varies from person to person. Some people who are far away from a community are not thanked for being a Jew; on the contrary, it can turn out to be the reason for bullying. But in the case of Isaac and myself, growing up in pretty much nonexistent communities, we were forced into a lone-soldier type role.
Isaac has been living in London now since he came here for university. He got his undergrad at SOAS and his masters at University of City London; both in Law. Once in London, he stumbled upon some general truth that London Jews knew, that neither Isaac or myself were aware of– he wasn’t aware that we (Jews) had anything to be ashamed of. I felt it too when I arrived back in 2021 for university at Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL). In Springfield I was probably too young to be aware of any reality whatsoever, but either way, I remember very proudly bringing a book of Chanukah themed stickers to my kindergarten Christmas party, sticking little maccabees on everyone. Israel, also, came without a bat of an eye. I don’t remember hearing any ideas about being Jews without being intertwined with Israel until I came to London. So, as lovely as it is to say that we both come from such a strong Jewish foundation, those realities can only provide you with the ability to grow from it. You can’t stay there.
But before we get into antisemitism or Israel, first let’s finish off what it now means to be Jewish to us. For those who have known me a long time or are just hearing of my name now in this article, I’ll tell you in an elevator pitch who I am as a Jew. My mother z”l was a reform rabbi, and I’m a ba’al teshuva orthodox Jew. That pretty much sums me up. Since I left Springfield and came to Cincinnati when I was eight years old, my Judaism was only nourished exponentially from them on. I got involved with any and all youth groups, namely BBYO, went to Camp Livingston, AIPAC and eventually to a semester in my senior year of high school (Sycamore alumni here!) to Alexander Muss High School in Israel where I was first introduced to any form of orthodoxy. Since then, I did a year of fashion school in Milan and now I am graduating from RHUL and working for StandWithUs UK as an educator as previously mentioned. The Jewish community here in London, although it comes with its problems, has supported me immensely in my religious journey and I truly do feel looked after.
Isaac has had a different relationship. He didn’t have the Cincinnati resources in Devon, but from the sounds of it he really didn’t need them! Although he didn’t have so many educational options at his fingertips, his natural curiosity led him towards Judaism. He remembers at a young age his father told him about the six day war, and at this inheritance he felt this sense of buzzing pride and hope. That called out to a religious journey starting at 13, searching for a set of values to embrace, and changing currents at 18, where he felt that being a fully Torah observant Jew was too insular for him. Still, he felt that it wasn’t sustainable to be going around without a genuine care for one another. Isaac is anything but far from his Judaism. At the end of the day, we work in the same office and that brings me to the next topic… Where are we now?
Well, there’s a real problem here in the UK to do with antisemitism, both internally and externally. Externally (because that’s the easiest one to grapple with) Isaac has not had an easy time in his educational career. As a Jew, his identity was rejected at both. Isaac is a much smarter individual than I am, that’s the truth of it. It seems that randomly he knows just about everything, even with the halacha that he rejected. Isaac sees the reality in non-Jewish British society as a choice of either a post-nationalist or ethno-nationalist society, and it doesn’t matter any way you spin it really, Jews fit on the outside of that– especially if you’re a Zionist. I would even go so far as to say that it doesn’t matter if you’re a Zionist Jew or not… if you’re Jewish, no one is making that distinction.
There was a moment recently that Isaac shared with me, where his friend’s grandmother was in an Uber in London and she’s a very anti-Zionist Jew; absolutely hates Israel. The driver asked if she was Jewish and when she said yes, he told her to get out of the car and she did, because she gets it. I think there’s a lot there to say on both sides of the coin– how is it acceptable to discriminate against Jews on any basis? Why on earth would she get out of the car (obviously, apart from safety)?
So, that leads me to the internal part. Isaac asks and boy do I wonder with him, how are we the same people that were Hasmoneans that fought against the Greeks and won? In the UK there are some structural problems within the Jewish community. There are some organizations who are probably too focused on appeasing the non-Jewish world than focusing on scribing positively to ourselves. I’ll just say it how it is— American Jews, overall, are proud Americans and proud Jews. British Jews seem to be struggling with confidence on all fronts, when British Jews have contributed greatly to Britain tracing all the way back to the times where King Solomon was ruling Israel.
I wouldn’t be too worried about British Jews, though, because they have fighters like Isaac on the front lines, making sure they do not forget to be proud to be Jewish or British.
