Dear Friends,

America has never before experienced an outbreak of anti-Semitism like in the past few weeks. Since April 18th over 2,700 people have been arrested at violent protests at more than 60 universities. Jewish students have been bullied, harassed, and verbally and physically attacked.

In 1938, Nazi students prevented Jews from entering Vienna University. The Austrian police looked the other way and refused to stop the intimidation of the Jewish students.  In America, our law enforcement officers, are deserving of praise and appreciation for upholding the law and protecting Jewish students from intimidation and abuse.  Make no mistake. Today’s so-called protesters are not to be confused with the “Make-Love-Not-War” hippies of the 1960’s.  Today’s rioters have been arrested carrying weapons, wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the faces of Hamas murders, and sporting placards celebrating killing Jews.  Many of these rioters are cowards who hide behind masks like the way KKK racists hid behind white hoods in the 1950’s.   I suspect that deep down some are subconsciously ashamed and sense that spewing this level of hate poisons America’s aspiration to become a civil society.

Many Jewish students are returning home this week from campus.  I am available to meet with any students in need of Rabbinic Pastoral support to help cope with the trauma of anti-Semitism on their campus.  I have set aside special office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12pm-2pm for students. You can easily set up an appointment on my Calendly link https://calendly.com/rabbiwilfond.

This week President Biden spoke at the U.S. Holocaust Museum. He strongly denounced the "ferocious surge" of anti-Semitism in America and the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th.  "To the Jewish community, I want you to know I see your fear, your hurt, and your pain.  Let me reassure you, as your President, you are not alone.  You belong.  You always have, and you always will…Never again, simply translated for me, means never forget. Now, here we are, not 75 years later, but now just seven and a half months after October 7th, and people are already forgetting. They’re already forgetting that Hamas unleashed this terror, that it was Hamas that brutalized Israelis, that it was Hamas who took and continues to hold hostages. I have not forgotten, nor have you, and we will not forget."

Tonight, at the Temple we will celebrate Israel’s 76th Birthday, a modern miracle we should never take for granted.  Surrounded by enemies, including Iran, Israel needs our support more than ever. We also need to support each other like never before in this time of unprecedented anti-Semitism in America.  Come stand with us tonight. 

On a personal note, my last service at the Temple will be June 14th. Please save the date and come then so I may thank you in-person for the experiences we have shared during the past four years.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi David Wilfond