Even though they were determined to be hoaxes, the bomb threats made to 11 Jewish community centers across the country Monday, similar to a wave of phone calls in January, coupled with the weekend toppling of up to 200 headstones in a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis, have raised concerns about increasing acts of anti-Semitism.
“When hate crimes go up there is a rise in anti-Semitism, and we’re seeing them in a broader context that is especially alarming,” said Rabbi Justin David of the Congregation B’Nai Israel in Northampton.
David said he recognizes his congregation may be feeling more on guard, whether coming to services or other activities or having their children in the preschool program.
He has reassured people, telling them that the conventional wisdom is that threats are almost always false, that procedures and protocols are in place and that the congregation is in an “exceedingly supportive” community.
In fact, David said he puts trust in Police Chief Jody Kasper and Mayor David Narkewicz.
“As a community we feel very well supported and cared for,” David said.
At the Hillel House at the University of Massachusetts, Executive Director Rabbi Aaron Fine said despite the atmosphere in the country, there has been outreach between Jewish and Muslim students on campus, including an interfaith Shabbat that is part of a new campaign by the UMass Student Interfaith Council.
“While we are concerned with local and national anti-Semitism, we continue to thrive as a community at UMass,” Fine said in an email.
Promoting safety has always been a consideration.
“At Hillel in the last couple of years we have evaluated and improved our building security, although this was in process much before the recent spate of anti-Semitic acts,” Fine said.
Yocheved Adelman, co-director of the Chabad House at UMass, said in an email that anti-Semitism can be confronted.
“Whenever there is darkness in the world, whether across the ocean or around the corner, whether directed against your community or against another, we must respond with light,” Adelman wrote. “The world becomes a better place for all when we respond to the darkness of prejudice with acts of goodness and kindness.”
The latest incidents prompted President Trump to denounce anti-Semitism after earlier appearing reluctant to do so. On Tuesday, Trump condemned threats against Jewish community centers.
“The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still mist be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil,” Trump said.
But David said these comments “feel empty and forced” and that Trump hasn’t shown any real regard for any groups outside his closest confidants.
“I’m glad from a public messaging point of view that he said those things, but sincerity matters a lot,” David said.
Fine agrees with this assessment.
“The increase in explicit anti-Semitism since the beginning of the Trump campaign has been disturbing, as has tacit support of anti-Semitism by the administration, including the silence on the JCC threats until recently,” Fine said.
On International Holocaust Memorial Day on Jan. 27, Trump issued a statement that had not specified that 6 million Jews were the victims and that anti-Semitism was at the root of Nazism. This contrasted with his White House predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, whose comments specifically noted that the Holocaust targeted Jews.
David said this area is not immune from incidents, noting that anti-Semitic graffiti appeared on Mount Tom after the Nov. 8 election.
David said he will work to marginalize those who attempt to oppress others.
“I am absolutely, unequivocally unafraid of such incidents because of the community we live in and because of the power of community,” David said.
Adelman, too, said she would not be scared.
“Our response is not one of fear, but one of realization that there is still work to do — the work of education, the work of spreading the message of mutual respect, the work of endeavors for the common good,” she wrote.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
