Emmanuel Acho, a former NFL linebacker turned activist, is not Jewish but he felt compelled to understand and address the pain antisemitism causes. Along with actor Noa Tishby, he has released a new book titled “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew.” Acho had previously written “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” published in 2020, and said he saw this as an opportunity to bring attention to antisemitism.
“I feel like justice won’t be served until those that are unaffected are as outraged as those that are affected. And so, though I am not a Jew, though I’m not a Jewish person, I said, what would happen, how much more powerful would we collectively be as a society, if rather than Black people simply fighting for Black people, women fighting for women, Jewish people fighting for Jewish people, we collectively fought together against hate, against oppression, against antisemitism?” Acho said.
The collaboration between Acho and Tishby, who is Jewish and formerly served as Israel’s special envoy for combating antisemitism, began well before the recent escalations in antisemitic incidents and before the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas, which officials say left some 1,200 people dead and more than 200 others held hostage in Gaza. Demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war have spread nationwide. Congress is currently considering legislation that would take aim at antisemitism on college campuses.
Tishby, who praised Acho’s commitment to the subject, highlighted the complexities of antisemitism, which often disguises itself in various forms.
“Antisemitism is not as simple as racism. So when you are racist toward somebody else, you think that you’re better than them and think that they’re lower than you. Antisemitism is a shape-shifting conspiracy theory, so every few generations it changes into something different,” Tishby said.
Acho said the book also addresses the various forms of discrimination and the importance of unified fronts in combating hatred.
“You can’t empathize with somebody if you’re not educated on what breaks their heart,” Acho said. “So that was really my impetus for all of it. Let me learn what breaks my Jewish brothers and sisters’ hearts so that I can empathize with them and fight alongside you.”
First published on April 30, 2024 / 3:07 PM EDT
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