"Every day this last week during Chanukah there’s been an attack on Jews in Every single day during the Festival of Lights, we’ve seen darkness and evil.
We’re horrified by the attack last night on Jews gathered to celebrate the seventh night of Chanukah at a private home in Monsey. This attack is the latest in a string of violence targeting Jews in and around New York and New Jersey.
These attacks don’t fit any one narrative. The perpetrators over the last year have been from different backgrounds and have expressed different politics. But what all these individuals share is their hatred of Jews.
The latest victims have been Orthodox Jews, those who are 'visibly' Jewish to perpetrators of hatred. Make no mistake -- these assaults are attacks on all Jews. We are all under attack. Today and always, we stand wth our Orthodox brothers and sisters, as we stand with all denominations and affiliations.
We are them. And they are us.
No one should feel intimidated to 'hide' their Jewishness. And no one should accept this as 'normal.'
Hating Jews is just the beginning of a rot that sets in to corroding societies. It's not a Jewish problem. It's an American problem.
Let's pray for more light."As American Jews we are now in the midst of an anti-semitic epidemic. Perhaps, it was our naiveté that dictated our initial responses of disbelief and "that cannot happen here;" perhaps it was a reflection of the total assimilation of sll but the Orthodox among us. But a virulent and violent anti-semitism is upon us -- be it in our communities, at our schools, seemingly growing day-by-day.
In another era, at another time, there would be those among communal leaders who would urge "sha, sha," be silent, this will pass. This, however, is not a time for silence. It is a time for our leaders to rally us. Just as 32 years ago we came from across the United States to The Mall in Washington by the hundreds of thousands for Freedom Sunday to rally for Soviet Jewry, it is time for our leaders and the leaders of all religions to call us together to another Sunday to Rally Against Anti-Semitism; to rally for democratic values...for our values.
There are those among Jewish "pundits" who have suggested the disinterest of mainstream American Jews when our Orthodox mishpacha are the focus of physical assaults -- one blaring the headline: Do U.S. Jews Care About anti-Semitic Violence against the Ultra-Orthodox, creating a false divide, actually arguing without evidence that "anti-semitism has been politicized" by non_orthodox Jews. Dov Ben-Shimon's call to us puts the lie to this ridiculous and insulting claim; one that seeks to divide us at a time that Jewish unity is demanded of us.
Now is the time for all of us to stand tall and mobilize our country against Jew-hatred. We cannot wait...we must not. Let us -- all of us -- stand up for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and the generations to come. There is no time to wait.
May 2020 be a better year...for all of us. May we bring light out of the darkness.
Rwexler
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5 comments:
I agree, HOWEVER, but not enough. We are, once again, our own worst enemies. 70% of our people are too interested in attacking, criticizing, impeaching the President rather than spending the time, effort and funds to fight the wild growth of anti-Semitism!
Dozens of Jewish organizations are using these anti-Semitic acts to raise funds for themselves rather than finding a way to work together.
Too many individuals are ‘doing-their-own-thing’ instead of developing a unified effort.
There is no national and/or international UNIFIED and COORDINATED effort to fight this disaster.
By the time we wake up it probably will be too late.
Words, protests, rallys are not the solution by themselves. Their must be some sort of far-reaching and unified International plan and effort.
The sources of hate are many over the past several years. These include, sadly but indubitably, the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
In addressing the very many sources of hate and its many victims while not losing sight of our own people, we must follow the words of Hillel the sage:
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
But if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?
Right Paul. So let's hear you say strongly and clearly, without lying, that we need a strong Federation system, and everyone needs to work with the Federations on their unified effort.
Richard, as you know, federations and agencies in the New York/New Jersey region have organized a Mass March against anti-semitism this Sunday in which many communities (for example, Washington) and agencies (for example, the Jewish Agency) are rallying their supporters' participation. It is a shame that your call for a Continental Rally is apparently beyond the grasp of today's leaders.
To the Anonymous Commentator who prefaced a worthy set of questions but began your Comment with an in personam attack on another Commentator: I cannot publish your Comment unless and until you mopderate it. Thanks for understanding.
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