There’s a teenager, about 14- or 15-years-old, who lives in my serene suburban neighborhood with his family. His mother, a nurse, is a kind woman who always has a smile on her face. She waves to my kids when they’re riding their bikes, and we stop and chat once in a while if we’re both outside at the same time. We've been friendly neighbors for the past three years, if not particularly close.
About three months ago though, things took a turn.
This teenager, known for riding around on his motorized bike, began targeting and harassing the Jewish residents of our neighborhood. My neighbor’s three small children were riding their bikes when this boy sped up behind them and screamed, “I’m going to hunt you down!” These children, all under eight, were terrified. One of the boys fell off his bike, crying, and my husband found him on the sidewalk and helped him up.
Initially, it seemed like unpleasant behavior, but nothing too serious. Was I overreacting? Was this antisemitism, or just “boys being boys”? (Not a thing, I know.)
The incidents continued. More children reported being yelled at, ridden into, and cursed at by this boy, now joined by a friend. They hurled slurs, jeers, and threats. One Shabbos afternoon, my friend and her small children were walking home when the teenager pulled up behind them, yelling insults and slurs before speeding off again. My friend was trembling, clutching her children’s hands.
During Shavuot, the elderly grandfather of a neighborhood family, a Holocaust survivor, was outside with his great-grandchildren when the boy roared up on his bike and shouted “Heil Hitler,” giving a Nazi salute, and screamed, “We’re going to get the rest of you!” A non-Jewish neighbor called the police, but the boy disappeared before they arrived. The elderly man was deeply shaken.
What could we do? The Jewish residents were in constant discussion, scared to walk down the street, scared to let our children play outside. The threats were just words for now, but should we wait for it to turn into actual violence?
We called the police, and they spoke to the boy, but what could they really do? He’s just a kid, and technically, he hadn’t done anything concretely criminal. So here we are, left in this state of fear and uncertainty, waiting for the next incident.
It leaves me wondering where this is coming from. It’s not from any animosity in the neighborhood. We all get along well; we exchange friendly waves as we pass each other, and everything is generally pleasant. I would have heard if there had been any incidents sparking these hateful feelings. So, I’m left to conclude that he must be picking up these antisemitic ideas from school or social media.
Kids these days are on social media more than ever, and it’s not just harming their mental health. Prejudices and extremist ideas are spreading like wildfire. Teenagers, naturally searching for purpose and ways to channel their angst, are particularly susceptible. There’s a reason youth movements have been pivotal throughout history—not because young people see things more clearly, but because they crave a cause. And when you give them one, they’ll dive in with their blinders on.
Look at the Hitler Youth in Nazi Germany or the Komsomol in the Soviet Union. Both regimes tapped into the energy and idealism of young people to spread their ideologies. Parties in power exploit youthful zeal for their agendas. Today, social media is the new battleground for this, and we need to be aware of how easily young people can be swayed.
So what can be done to combat this? Countering antisemitism online is an uphill battle. It takes a lot more positive messaging to outweigh the negative, and we simply don’t have the numbers on platforms like TikTok to match the spread. Negativity, fear-mongering, and tribalism move faster and more effectively on social media than messages of unity and love. It's just how humans are wired.
So if we can’t match the fervor on social media, what can we do? Give up?
I believe the best way to spread empathy and solidarity isn’t by fighting fire with fire, but by educating through stories. As I previously argued, about the use of fiction to promote empathy, stepping into another person’s shoes allows you to empathize with them in a way that cold logic simply will not. And what stories are better for understanding Jewish suffering than Holocaust stories?
Less than 100 years ago, one of the worst atrocities in human history occurred, and yet some children today don’t even know about it, or doubt the veracity of it. If someone can’t empathize with their neighbor's kids riding innocently down the street, well, there might be no hope for them. But for other kids, perhaps stories like the diary of Anne Frank, can help them understand that a Jewish child is simply a child like any other.
So here are some Holocaust books I believe should be read in schools and by children everywhere. As George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Young people need to understand this history to prevent it from happening again.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The classic diary of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis.
Night by Elie Wiesel
A candid, horrific, and deeply poignant account of Wiesel’s experience in Auschwitz and Buchenwald.
Maus by Art Spiegelman
A graphic novel depicting Spiegelman’s father's experiences during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
The story of a brave young Danish girl’s efforts to save her Jewish friend.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The extraordinary, beloved novel about the ability of books to feed the soul even in the darkest of times.
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
A painful and poignant novel about a young girl caught in the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup in France.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
A story about the unlikely friendship between a German boy and a Jewish boy in a concentration camp.
I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing Up in the Holocaust by Livia Bitton-Jackson
A memoir of a young girl’s survival through the horrors of the Holocaust.
Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally
The brilliant portrayal of the true story of Oskar Schindler, who with cunning and courage remained a good man amid unspeakable evil.
Hana’s Suitcase by Karen Levine
The gripping story of a Japanese museum curator discovering the life of Hana Brady, a young Holocaust victim.
Are there any that I missed? Feel free to write me.
Arty Cweiberis the coordinator of I Read This Over Shabbos , a project about cultivating a community where lovers of ideas, words, and books can turn Shabbos into their weekly book club.
