Olivier Melnick: Standing Firm Against the Tide of Antisemitism

Mary welcomes back Olivier Melnick to talk about the shocking levels of what we might call “totalitarian antisemitism” that exist and why things are so much worse today than in the 1930s and 40s. While the Nazis had their propaganda machine that reached far into Europe, it was nothing compared to the digital propaganda machine we are staring at day in and day out. We discuss the five reasons why we have surpassed that 20th century evil day, and what it means for our world. For anyone who was around then, this concept should be especially frightening, even for those who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, we have to wonder how this was allowed on our watch. We also look at the fear factor for those who live in places where their safety is compromised, and how the pressure to disavow their identity adds to the problem of “erasure”.  A “refusnik” was historically a Jew who was denied the right to leave Russia for Israel from the 1950s to around 1990 when Russia finally allowed Jews to leave. Here in 2026 it also means someone who refuses to allow their culture to be erased. How can we be refusniks, and encourage, stand with, and support those who need a dose of courage in light of this global problem? What other ethnic/race/culture would be allowed to suffer such malevolent wrongdoings, except the Jews?