To the editor: I did not put my menorah in my window. I am not carrying a Star of David. I do not go to synagogue. I disguise my Judaism. (“How Anti-Semitism Got here Roaring Again into American Life,” December 14)
I’m not stunned by the rise in anti-Semitism. It has been our historical past for 1000’s of years. I’ve been known as grime to my face.
Nonetheless, anti-Semitism baffles me. The Talmud tells us, “What’s hateful to you, don’t do to your neighbor.” Traditionally, we’ve got labeled ourselves in relation to different minorities, but we uncover time and again that we’re reviled.
I spent two years as chairman of the social outreach committee at Oakland’s Temple Sinai. I held the most important interdenominational Passover seder the temple had, with Jews, Christians, atheists and others in attendance.
Jews participated within the founding and financing of among the most essential civil rights organizations. We participated in Mississippi Freedom Summer time in 1964. HIAS, a global Jewish humanitarian group, was among the many teams that sued the Trump administration over the 2017 Muslim ban.
And but folks proceed to slander Jews.
From the numerous conversations I’ve had with mates, we agree: We imagine in Israel’s proper to exist. We imagine in a two-state resolution. We imagine in the fitting of Palestinians to dwell safely and securely in their very own land.
We don’t imagine within the enlargement of settlements. We don’t help the present Israeli authorities led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas is a terrorist group. Genocide is unsuitable.
These concepts can coexist. And but a menorah at Oakland’s Lake Merritt was destroyed and I’ll proceed to cover. How unhappy is that?
Wendy Winter, Altadena
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To the editor: I really feel compelled to share my perspective as an American Jew.
I’m a Zionist, which suggests I help the fitting of Jews to have a safe homeland. Nonetheless, I’m additionally deeply troubled by the actions of the present Israeli authorities.
The occasions of October seventh, particularly the hurt to harmless youngsters, left me devastated. No youngster deserves to be subjected to terror, together with the kids of the Gaza Strip.
As a proud Hispanic Jew, my Zionist beliefs align with the will for peace and safety for all, not with the present insurance policies and actions of the Israeli authorities. This distinction is essential in understanding the totally different viewpoints throughout the Jewish group.
Jose Grijalva, Santa Clarita
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To the editor: Anti-Semitism has at all times existed in the USA and elsewhere. For greater than 20 years, our temple has had safety guards for the Excessive Holidays resulting from issues.
However why has anti-Semitism gotten worse lately? Whereas your article coated many causes, it was solely on the very finish that it even touched on what I really feel is the first trigger: former President Trump.
The rise in anti-Semitism lately is, I imagine, primarily resulting from Trump’s embrace of white supremacy. It began together with his “very good folks on each side” remark in 2017, in response to an occasion in Charlottesville, Va., the place folks had chanted, “Jews is not going to substitute us.”
It isn’t solely anti-Semitism that’s on the rise. Extra hatred has been expressed towards Asians, blacks, Latinos, immigrants and others, fairly often in comparison with Trump’s damaging feedback about these teams.
Trump has made it OK to precise hatred towards anybody who shouldn’t be a white Christian male.
Susan Jacobs, Studio Metropolis