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Jewish Minority

"The people who have made fun of me for being Jewish haven’t learned anything from history."

Listen to this Commentary!

By Micah Weiss

Even though I attend a diverse, inner city high school, I am only one of a handful of Jews. This fact does not make me feel lonely or excluded. In fact, I think it makes me unique. But what I do not like about being one of so few Jews is the prejudice and misunderstanding I have experienced for the religion I choose to practice.

When hanging out with my friends, some would insult me with: “You stupid Jew,” “You don’t know anything, you’re Jewish,” or “Don’t make me get out my oven.”

In the past, when I’ve gotten angry, people have told me they’re just joking. But these comments prove to me the reason there is so much hatred and intolerance in this world: ignorance.

The people who have made fun of me for being Jewish haven’t learned anything from history. They may have heard the statistic over and over, but they do not grasp the fact that 6 million Jews were exterminated because a group of people felt that Jews were inferior or “stupid.”

They do not realize that every day in the Middle East, Palestinians and Israelis are killing each other because of this same kind of intolerance.

Every time someone speaks about a minority group in a hateful way, they are increasing the intolerance the world has for people who are different.

Lately, I’ve been standing up for myself, and things have begun to improve. I don’t think I can personally solve the problem of prejudice all by myself, but I have found the courage to speak up when my friends and peers talk hatefully about Jews and other minorities.

I’m Micah Weiss.

HOST BACK ANNOUNCE: Youth Radio Atlanta is produced in cooperation with Grady High School, WABE, and Youth Radio in Berkeley, California and is funded in part by The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.