Latest news with #TempleEmanuel
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Unnerved Jewish Americans reconsider safety protocols after string of attacks
On the first night of Passover, it seemed like a one off – an arson attack on Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro's mansion. The arsonist, per police, took issue with Shapiro's stance on Israel and Palestine. Then, in late May, outside an American Jewish Committee young professionals' event for young Jews in the DC area to meet young diplomats, two Israeli embassy staffers were shot and killed; the shooter yelled, 'Free Palestine.' Roughly a week and a half later, in Boulder, Colorado, a rally in solidarity with hostages held in Gaza was firebombed; the attacker also reportedly yelled, 'Free Palestine.' The string of events have deeply unnerved Jewish Americans of all stripes. Despite a wide range of political views, there exists a measure of consensus among Jewish institutions that they need to reconsider their safety protocols. There is less unity on the root causes of the violence, and what policy solutions should address it. 'I don't know anyone who isn't rethinking their security and the security of the Jewish institutions that they visit,' said Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. Many synagogues have recently heightened security, whether in the form of armed guards, metal detectors, surveillance systems or some combination. Rabbi Joe Black is a senior rabbi of Temple Emanuel, a Reform congregation in Denver, Colorado, a Jewish community he described as 'closely linked' to Boulder's. He said that his synagogue has in recent years upped its spending on security in response to rising antisemitism, putting in place guards, cameras and security systems. The last several weeks have also seen a change of protocols. 'I never liked the thought of having armed guards in the synagogue. I do now. And I hate that,' Black said. Meanwhile, Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, recently called for Congress to increase funding for security at Jewish institutions. The American Jewish community is deeply divided over thorny questions around when calls for Palestinian rights cross over into antisemitism. Many view the string of attacks as part of a rising wave of antisemitism fueled by the pro-Palestinian movement. Some on the left, on the other hand, object to conflations of anti-Zionism with antisemitism that are used to suppress protest against Israel's US-backed war in Gaza. The recent acts of violence all involved targets associated to varying degrees with Jewish life but also with Israel – though it is not entirely clear what the perpetrators knew about them or, in the case of the latter two, precisely how they selected their targets. For some, particularly more conservative voices, the issue is one of speech that has gotten out of hand. Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, has singled out Twitch streamer Hasan Piker and university graduation speakers who have spoken out in support of Palestinian rights, whom he accused of spreading 'blood libel' against Jews. 'We've got to stop it once and for all,' he said on Fox News. 'We were told over and over again that this was just freedom of speech being exercised. It should not be misunderstood at this point: When someone says 'Free Palestine,' what they mean is 'kill Jews,'' Dr Nolan Lebowitz, senior rabbi at California's Valley Beth Shalom, one of the largest conservative synagogues in the country, told the Guardian. He pointed as an example to a protest on 8 October 2023 that included some voices that appeared to celebrate the Hamas attacks from the day before, referring to it as a 'terror parade'. Others see a different kind of predictability, arguing that if Jewish institutions themselves blur the lines between Judaism and support for Israel – particularly as Israel wages a war in Gaza that has killed a conservative estimate of more than 50,000 Palestinians since the 7 October attacks – it is inevitable that others will, too. 'When you have the main [Jewish] institutions … consistently hammering home that Zionism and Judaism are entirely equivalent, that you can't have Judaism without Zionism, and that 90% of American Jews are Zionist – how do you expect people outside of the community to not just take that for granted?' asked Andrue Kahn, the executive director of the American Council for Judaism, which is devoted to promoting Jewish life 'free from Zionist and other nationalist ideologies'. The backdrop to all of this is the Trump administration, which has spent the last several month cracking down on universities and detaining and trying to deport students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, all in the name of fighting antisemitism. In the wake of the attack in Washington DC, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the term 'free Palestine' and vowed to continue a crackdown on foreign nationals. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, in a social media statement following the Boulder firebombing, did not explicitly mention Jews, but did blame his predecessor Joe Biden's border policies for the attack, suggesting he would use the attack as further justification for his anti-immigrant crackdown. 'I think one of the things that we've been seeing over the past several months is a weaponization of antisemitism by the current administration in order to promote policies that are contrary to my values, contrary to Jewish values,' said Black, the Reform rabbi from Denver. 'That doesn't mean antisemitism is not real. It needs to be addressed in a sane, clear, logical way.' Black believes that the attacks were a consequence of the term 'Zionism' being warped in public discourse to become synonymous with oppression. (He calls himself a 'proud Zionist' who supports Israel's right to defend itself but questions Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's motives in prosecuting the war.) Asked what steps he wanted to see taken, he, too, said he wanted more funding for nonprofit security – and also for politicians to avoid using the attacks to justify their own political ends. 'There's disagreement about what it will take for the current administration to really take on antisemitism,' said Jacobs, head of the URJ. Law enforcement needs to work with and be responsive to Jewish communities, he said, and there needs to be a national conversation about distinguishing between free speech and incitement to violence. 'But at the same time, we don't want to dismantle our democracy and the rule of law and constitutional rights. It's a delicate balance,' he continued. 'We have a wider Jewish community that's fearful,' he said. 'No one is surprised when they get the news flash that there's been yet another attack on the Jewish community.' There is one point of agreement: the answer is not for Jews to drop out of engaging civically and as Jews. Jacobs insisted: 'We will not accept a reality where people are just too afraid to participate in Jewish life.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Andover synagogue welcomes displaced worshippers from Haverhill
ANDOVER — Two, longstanding synagogues in the Merrimack Valley are about to unify as Temple Emanuel will welcome members of Temple Emanu-El Haverhill after months of dialogue and visioning. Temple Emanu-El, 514 Main St., Haverhill, will close its doors after 88 years in the Merrimack Valley, but its new house of worship will only be 16 miles down the road at Temple Emanuel at 7 Haggetts Pond Road. The Andover institution will absorb the temple's services and has invited all Jewish Haverhill households to join their community. Unification talks between the two congregations and others in the area have been ongoing for nearly a year. Temple Emanu-El representatives spoke with multiple temples before deciding to unite with the congregation. Temple Emanuel of Andover president Dana Katz said the Andover temple is excited to begin this next chapter in its congregation's history and to help another historic one find a new spiritual home. Both temples are longstanding centers of Jewish life in the Merrimack Valley. Temple Emanu-El has been around since 1937 while Temple Emanuel opened its doors in 1920. Representatives from both have met over the last few months to smooth the transition with leadership on both sides committed to unifying the two communities. 'Our hearts go out to them with their temple closing, but we are happy to welcome them into our community,' Katz said. 'We have shared values and a shared commitment to a warm and vibrant Jewish community.' 'It's a little bittersweet,' Temple Emanuel Rabbi David Wilfond said about the closing of the Haverhill synagogue. 'But we think that the sweet is more than the bitter.' Wilfond said it is not uncommon for synagogues to unify after financial challenges when it becomes too costly to operate a building independently as membership dips to under 100 families. 'Beit HaShalom' is a common name used by synagogues throughout the U.S. as a chosen name for unified congregations. Temple Emanu-El has around 100 families, while about 400 families make up the Temple Emanuel community. Katz said she doesn't know exactly how many families from the Haverhill congregation will join the Andover congregation, but so far she said she's seen a great response with families already signing up for membership. Both communities have welcomed each other over the past year. Haverhill congregants have visited the Andover temple and vice versa. 'I think people are looking to find community and build relationships,' Katz said. 'This isn't just a wedding, but this is a marriage which benefits two families,' Wilfond said. The two temples were basically 'sisters' with so many similarities in their theology, style of worship and practice of Judaism. Both are Reform Jewish communities. 'Part of why this unity of the congregations was so easy is there's so much in common in terms of shared values and practices,' Wilfond said. 'They are very similar, but just serve different geographical areas.' Temple Emanuel will hold special programs and mentoring for new families making the transition. There will be ceremonies to welcome new members. The synagogue will also welcome religious artifacts from the Haverhill congregation. It plans to put Haverhill's mezuzah scrolls at the entrance to the synagogue. 'This way a piece of their old congregation is part of a new building for them,' Wilfond said. 'The first thing they see will be a physical piece of their old synagogue.' For Wilfond, this unification will bring new ideas to the temple and likely new programming and activities along with it as well as optimism for a shared future. 'It's so sad whenever a community is unable to sustain itself and needs to close a chapter of its existence,' Wilfond said. 'But there's also a sense of joy to having new friends and new ideas. We're savoring the blessings of people being open-minded and open-hearted.'
CBS News
28-02-2025
- General
- CBS News
First African American woman rabbi, Denver's Alysa Uriel Stanton, brings people of all backgrounds together
In a world where faith and identity intersect, Rabbi Alysa Uriel Stanton of Denver has shattered barriers. As the first African American woman to be ordained as a rabbi, her journey is one of determination, faith, and unwavering strength. "My Hebrew name is Rabah Eliana Eliza Bat Avraham, daughter of Anne and Avraham," said Stanton. "Eliza means 'God has answered and brought me joy.' Stanton is 'of great worth.'" Rabbi Stanton's name holds meaning, just as her life's work does. Her story began in Cleveland, where she was raised in a Pentecostal home. Her mother believed faith was non-negotiable, but where they worshiped was up to them. This freedom to explore opened a door she never expected. "My first exposure to Judaism was by my devout Catholic uncle, who spoke eight languages. He gave me my first Hebrew grammar book at age 10. I still have it to this day," recalled Stanton. What began as a childhood curiosity evolved into a life-changing commitment. While pursuing a master's in psychology she took a bold step: converting to Judaism. "This very room was the place that Rabbi Foster shared that I was accepted. There was a lot of joy, and then the story broke that I would be the first African American woman Rabbi in the world," Stanton said. She underwent rigorous training to become a rabbi. Stanton said, "About ordination, that still brings tears to my eyes. Because it was quite a journey." Even after earning her place in the rabbinical world, she faced skepticism about finding a position. "I was told that because I was Black, older, and a woman, I probably wouldn't get one," explained Stanton. In rooms where she sought belonging, she often felt unwanted. "It was hard, painful to walk into a room and know that your presence is not desired. A person once told me, however, the right path is not always the easiest path," she said. But she refused to be defined by others' expectations, embracing the title given to her as "The Rabbi of the People." Now affiliated with Temple Emanuel, she sought to be a bridge, bringing people of all backgrounds together. "I know who I am as a Jew. I will live and die a Jew. But being of our Creator spiritually goes beyond Judaism," said Stanton. Her message this Black History Month is one of light in darkness. "Just look at our commonalities. See how our commonalities, like puzzle pieces, can fit together and organize people and organize power, can evoke change. I am a living witness not to give up. Anybody can get through easy times, but now is the time to show what we are really made of." Rabbi Stanton's story serves as a powerful testament that embracing who you are not only breaks barriers, it paves the way for others to follow.
