Chances are that if you’re under the age of 70, you never heard of American television host Arthur Godfrey. Known for his CBS variety show, which aired from 1949 to 1957, Godfrey, also gained a reputation for being an antisemite.
As the owner of Florida’s Kenilworth Hotel, it was reported that a sign out front read, “No Dogs or Jews Allowed.”
Such bigoted sentiments were far from an anomaly, given the atmosphere of Europe in the late 1930s, and into the early years of W.W.II, where similar signs forbade Jews entrance into many shops and public places under the control of the Nazi regime.
Although the stigma against Jews had come to an end by the late 40’s, Godfrey, continued to shamelessly express his racist contempt.
Those days were short-lived, due to the Civil Rights’ protests of the 1960s, followed by the “live and let live” philosophy which gave way to the acceptance of most people as well as their chosen lifestyles.
After so many years, it likely came as a bit of a shock to many Americans, Europeans and others, to discover that the well-concealed, latent antisemitism began to emerge following the October 7th massacre.
It was discomforting to see massive campus protests as well as many migrant citizens, of different countries, pour out onto the streets, loudly calling for the destruction of Israel and even the Jewish people. Most of us will never forget the call from Sydney, Australia to “gas the Jews.”
And while all of these shocking expressions of hatred, abhorrence and hostility were being voiced, who would have thought that Jews would, once again, bear the shame of being told that their patronage was unwelcomed or that their entrance to a particular venue was forbidden? How could such a primitive and ignorant refusal of service arise in the year 2025?
Just last week, the owner of Australian Juniper Hair Salon, in Bentleigh, refused to cut the hair of a customer, after discovering that he was from Israel and previously served in the IDF.
This was not a lone incident. On August 1, 2024, it was reported that “a Jewish man was denied service at an Officeworks store in Elsterwick, Australia by a pro-Palestinian staff member.
In France, a manager at a vacation resort “refused entry to 150 Israeli children, based on personal principles, despite having booked the venue in advance.”
In yet another occurrence, “two Israeli visitors were violently attacked at the DeKampervoorn Water Park, sustaining injuries that led to their evacuation from the premises.”
These recent displays are not the first of such blatant acts of discrimination against Jews. In November 2024, a “Jewish patient was allegedly refused treatment at an East London Hospital after confronting a student nurse wearing a t-shirt with the word ‘Palestine’ on the front and the entire map of Israel on the back, replacing it with a Palestinian state.”
In April, I wrote an article for the Jerusalem Post disclosing that Israelis have been banned from booking a vacation in the Maldives.
I also reported, in April, that Jews no longer feel safe on campuses, as they are threatened and even physically accosted.
In July, Israeli visitors were denied service at restaurants and campsites during the Austrian Salzburg Festival. A couple who was celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, upon presenting their passports, for check-in at the site, were promptly informed by staff, “We have no place for Jews here.”
Can anyone deny that a clear pattern has been forming, returning us to the dark days of Nazi Europe? All of these practices are against the law, since any registered business, serving the public, is not permitted to withhold services from someone due to their ethnicity, religion or other similar factors.
To do so is a direct human rights’ violation and an offense for which someone can bring a law suit on the grounds of discrimination. And that is what may be the only solution in order to put an end to this disgraceful exhibition of antisemitism.
Rather than resist the pressure to conform with those who seek to alienate and ostracize Jews, they have become part of the successful campaign of making sure that Jews feel unwanted as they are unable to access services available to all others.
Sadly, the year 2025 is not much different from the pre-Holocaust period where the Jews were looked upon as undesirable people. Ironically, it is today’s Woke who accuse Jews of having the privilege which they are now being denied.
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