1 Tamuz 5785
Dear Friend,
Over the last few weeks, with our eyes glued on Israel and Iran it’s been hard to think of anything else. Yet, at the same time, I can’t help thinking about those 50 hostages that are still in captivity in Israel. We cannot allow ourselves to forget them. Six hundred and thirty days in captivity. It is beyond any of our own comprehension of what they have lived through and continue to live through.
And yet, our lives continue, living the best we can, doing the most we can.
Security continues to test our resolve, and antisemitism is at a peak in our lifetimes (it is the highest since ADL began tracking 46 years ago). Whether it is harassment, assault, racist propaganda, vandalism, anti-Israel/Jewish protest, or murder, antisemitic incidents have become a persistent and ugly everyday reality for our Jewish community.
Each of us deals with the antisemitism in our own way, and hopefully, you have each taken advantage of the many classes being provided by the Federation through our Community Security Initiative and partnership with Secure Community Network (SCN). While these classes do not address the root causes of antisemitism, they empower each person to react/respond in the case of an active threat. Andrew Hoffman, our SCN Regional Security Advisor has been throughout the Valley providing TVRAs (Threat, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessments) to our institutions identifying risks to our operations, gatherings, and personnel. These TVRAs prioritize security measures and allocate resources to mitigate potential harm. Andrew is available to everyone in the community and he can be reached at security@jewishwesternmass.org to talk through issues, help you respond to challenges, act as an intermediary with local law enforcement officials. and do training for groups, small and large. (You can support our Security Initative by clicking here - every donation is matched dollar-for-dollar by a group of national philanthropists)
One person who has been actively working on the issue of antisemitism in our area is Owen Zaret who recently gave testimony at the State House about his experience(s) with antisemitism on the municipal level and in the school district of Easthampton. Chaired by Representative Simon Cataldo and Senator John Velis, the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism has been gathering input from various organizations and individuals to better understand Antisemitism in our state, which has experienced a significant number of incidents (4th highest state in the nation).
Having had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Owen, I can’t imagine the sense of isolation he experienced in his own community. As a City Council member in Easthampton, you would think that that wouldn’t be an issue, but it is and was. Owen is well educated, has deep Jewish roots, is not shy, and shared his own experiences and those of others in the community, but he was made to be a pariah.
He shared specific issues in the school system - he was rebuffed.
He shared experiences that he had - he was ignored.
He offered resources to the school system - they were not adopted.
He spoke out the “4 Ds” that became the [defacto] policy of the school district:
Delay, Deny, Deflect and Delegitimize.
Imagine, a City Councilor was so easily rebuffed; now think about how your school district, town, or organization might make you feel.
If you want to read Owen’s testimony to the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, you can read it here.
The Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts stands with Owen Zaret and stands with each of you, to advocate, to stand up, to use our collective voices.
No one should feel isolated.
No one should feel alone.
As One, we can lift each other to address the scourge of antisemitism in our communities.
Shabbat Shalom
Adam Solender