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Rabbi Message

11/11/2021 09:26:25 PM

Nov11

Dear Chevre,

To all of our KHN members and family members who are veterans of military service: Thank you for protecting and defending our country and our democracy.

This week was the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, which took place on November 9th and 10th, 1938 in Nazi Germany. Jewish homes, hospitals, schools and businesses were damaged or demolished. Hundreds of synagogues were destroyed. Thousands of Jewish men were arrested and incarcerated, and many were murdered.

As we know, this is not ancient history. Antisemitism proliferates here in the United States. 2020 was the third-highest year for antisemitic incidents against American Jews since the Anti-Defamation League started tracking data in 1979. [https://www.adl.org/audit2020]

Recently I heard Kenneth Stern, the director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, speak about “Antisemitism through a Hate Studies Lens.” He defined antisemitism in part as believing that Jews are out to hurt other people and often push buttons of control from behind the scenes, which is what the murderer from Pittsburgh believed. Often these ideas are inextricably linked to white supremacy. Stern gave an example that although the El Paso Walmart murderer targeted and killed Latinos, not Jews, his racist, anti-immigrant screeds had much in common with the belief systems of the Pittsburgh murderer.

Stern believes that, in order to combat antisemitism, we must oppose anything which gives rise to conspiracy theories which demonize groups of people. We must also support organizations which promote civil liberties and democracy, groups in which tolerance of differences among people is championed. My take home from the talk was that we must always call out antisemitism (as many religious and community leaders in Bucks Country recently did), live our lives as Jewish people and those who are part of a Jewish community proudly, act on our values, and support civil discourse.

Here is a recording and transcript of a similar talk Stern gave at UCLA which also addresses his views on how antisemitism is entangled with Israel, anti-Zionism, and more.

https://www.international.ucla.edu/israel/articletranscript/236800

May we have the koach, the strength, to engage in this important work. In the week of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, and just a few weeks past the anniversary of Pittsburgh, we know the consequences of antisemitic rhetoric and belief systems.

Lynne Goldman and rabbinic intern Lesley Pearl will be leading services at 7:00 pm in person and on Zoom.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Diana

Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784