I can’t recall ever being afraid because I’m a Jew. Until last year,
Haman was a fictional anti-Semite. This year, he represents all those filled
with vicious and unprovoked hatred.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which has tracked domestic hate groups for decades, noted a dramatic
increase in all hate crimes immediately following the November elections. In
the first month, they verified over 1000 incidents of bias-related attacks. In
just the first five days after the election, they documented over 400 attacks.
Those attacks abated, but the threats have not disappeared.
Since Inauguration Day, over 100 JCCs and Jewish day schools have
received phoned-in bomb threats. Three Jewish cemeteries, in St. Louis, Philadelphia,
and Rochester, NY, have been the targets of massive vandalism and grave desecrations.
Locally, the Newton JCC has been threatened more than once. The
Solomon Schechter Day School in Newton and the local ADL office received bomb
threats this week. Across the country, young children from day care centers and
schools have been evacuated swiftly in a manner that undoubtedly causes them
mental distress.
Last Friday, a 31-year-old man was arrested in connection with threats
made to 10 Jewish and one Muslim institution. That only provides a measure of
relief, given the larger continuing threat.
We remain grateful that these cowardly acts have not resulted in the
killing or harming of living Jews. We know that hatred in this country has led
to severe attacks on immigrants, Muslims, blacks, and the LGBT community, including
violence against individuals and the burning of mosques and black churches.
Nevertheless, all acts of vandalism are intended to inspire fear.
Anyone who has seen a swastika spray-painted on a home or Jewish
building, stepped into a Jewish cemetery where loved one’s stones have been
toppled and desecrated, or seen bullet holes in a Jewish school, like the
synagogue building in Evansville, Indiana last week, can’t help but feel
threatened.
We know that, as Rabbi Mark Sokoll of the Newton JCC has written, “Hate against any one group is hate against
all.” When we stand up as Jews against anti-semitism, we demonstrate
our pride and conviction to those who wish to frighten us. We must also testify
to all victims of hate that these acts will not divide us.
It is up to us to be vigilant in our own
Jewish community.
It is up to us to bravely come together as
never before.
Here in our
temple, our leadership is taking steps to increase our attention to security. We want to make everyone feel safe without
creating an atmosphere of dread.
This week of
Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat before Purim when we recall both historic and
mythical enemies of the Jewish people, let us contemplate how we can stand up
to hatred for all people, and take pride in our community’s perpetual stamina,
faith, and courage in response.
Rabbi
Barbara Penzner
Rabbi Mark Sokoll
offers these ways to show your support, and make your voice heard. Though he
emphasizes the threats against JCCs, we can apply any and all of these to other
Jewish institutions as well.
1)
SOCIAL
MEDIA
Support the JCC on social media by using the #IStandWithTheJCC hashtag
with supportive posts across your channels.
Sample
posts:
·
Threats
against JCCs are threats against the entire community. #IStandWithTheJCC
·
We
stand beside JCC Greater Boston. Antisemitism and hate have no place in our
community. #IStandWithTheJCC
·
There is
no room for hate in our community. #IStandWithTheJCC
2)
CALL YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE
Calling
members of Congress is the most effective way to have your voice heard. Calls
are tallied by staffers and the count is given to your representatives,
informing them how strongly their constituents feel about a current issue. The
sooner you reach out, the more likely it is that your voice will influence
their position.
Sample script
for the call to your U.S. Representative.
Hi,
my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from [CITY or TOWN in Massachusetts].
I’m calling to urge the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Director of the FBI to take swift action to address the bomb threats that have been telephoned in to Jewish Community Centers and schools across the nation, and the rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the last two months. We remind you that participants from all different backgrounds come to JCCs and synagogues and other Jewish institutions for activities, Jewish cultural and religious programming, and opportunities to come together as a community.
I’m calling to urge the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Director of the FBI to take swift action to address the bomb threats that have been telephoned in to Jewish Community Centers and schools across the nation, and the rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the last two months. We remind you that participants from all different backgrounds come to JCCs and synagogues and other Jewish institutions for activities, Jewish cultural and religious programming, and opportunities to come together as a community.
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