Jewish Council for Public Affairs offers post-Pittsburgh Massacre to-do list for Jewish community
As follow-up to the Pittsburgh massacre, JCPA has compiled some initial resources and recommendations.
Educate
Throughout the last year, JCPA has raised concerns about rising white nationalism by passing a Resolution on White Supremacy at JCPA’s April 2018 Conference, as well as by organizing informational webinars:
- “What is the Alt-Right (and What Should we do About Them)?” with Marilyn Mayo of the ADL, July 5, 2017.
- “Understanding and Responding to the White Supremacist Threat” with Joseph Levin of the Southern Poverty Law Center, September 27, 2017.
- “Special Briefing on Pittsburgh: White Nationalism and Anti-Semitism” with Eric Ward of the Western States Center, October 28, 2018.
Take Action
- Attend Shabbat services this weekend and invite friends and colleagues from other faith and diverse communities to participate.
. - Ensure that public officials, racial/ethnic and religious leaders, and businesses denounce hate in all its forms. The more that mainstream voices on both sides of the aisle express their opposition, the more likely that such hate will return to the margins. Work with faith leaders and partners to educate and engage their grassroots communities, as well.
. - Support federal legislation to combat white supremacy and all forms of hate, including investing in countering violent extremism. We will have materials prepared soon.
- The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (S. 2148) is designed to enhance and expand the federal government’s counterterrorism efforts to prevent acts of domestic terrorism, particularly by white supremacists . Last year the US government halted funding for countering white supremacy.
- The NO HATE Act (S. 662) would improve hate crime reporting and strengthen victims’ rights.
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- Advocate for state and local legislation that condemns hate and counters white supremacy.
. - Remain active leaders in interfaith and intergroup coalitions. Now, more than ever, we must be fully engaged in our relationships with diverse partners, putting our principles of acceptance into action and showing that our vision for America can prevail.
. - Push for policies that promote inclusivity and justice, drowning out hatred in the process. By supporting comprehensive immigration reform, criminal justice reform, and hate crimes legislation, our positive aspirations for America can supplant the type of society that hate groups seek to bring about. — Preceding provided by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
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Jewish Agency Chair Isaac Herzog to visit Pittsburgh
Following the tragic shooting on October 27 which left 11 dead and six injured at the Tree of Life Synagogue, The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Chairman of the Executive Isaac Herzog will visit Pittsburgh this weekend, November 2-4, to mourn the victims and offer messages of solidarity to the local Jewish community.
Herzog will arrive in Pittsburgh on Friday morning and attend the funerals of two of the victims, while also visiting the families of those in mourning. On Friday evening, Herzog will join the Pittsburgh Jewish community for Shabbat services.
“We at The Jewish Agency are in pain and mourning with the Pittsburgh Jewish community, and will assist in any possible way,” said Herzog. “The crucial first step is showing up, to stand with Pittsburgh after the Tree of Life Synagogue suffered the deadliest attack against Jews in U.S. history. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. The Pittsburgh Jewish community consists of 50,000 Jews, all committed, Zionistic and well organized. We had just met their leadership here in Israel for The Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly; little could we imagine there would be such a tragedy a few days later.”
Immediately following the attack, in partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in coordination with the Federation, The Jewish Agency engaged with the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) to dispatch a mission of five post-trauma and grief specialists from Israel to Pittsburgh. The specialists are providing immediate assistance to traumatized community members, and are also developing a long-term healing plan which will guide The Jewish Agency on ways to integrate assistance for Pittsburgh through the organization’s various programs, initiatives, and representatives. — From the Jewish Agency for Israel
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AJC reports ‘Show Up for Shabbat’ gains momentum
American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) #ShowUpForShabbat initiative is gathering widespread support across the United States and around the world. The initiative was launched on Sunday, the day after the murderous attack on the Tree of Life Or L’Simcha Congregation in Pittsburgh.
“The rapid, continually growing response to #ShowUpForShabbat is heartwarming. It restores hope in the human capacity to unite in confronting anti-Semitism and attacks on houses of worship,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “Clearly, the Pittsburgh attack, the murder of 11 Jews in their synagogue, unleashed a strong revulsion and a desire to come together as Americans and reaffirm our core values.”
On Sunday, AJC called on Jewish communities across the country—along with elected officials, religious and civic leaders, diplomats, and other communal allies—to flock to synagogues this coming Shabbat (Friday night and Saturday morning, November 2-3).
The outpouring of support for #ShowUpForShabbat and pledges to participate by attending services at synagogues is broad and diverse. The New York Times, CNN, USA Today and other national and local media have featured the AJC initiative.
“Our #ShowUpForShabbat initiative has taken off like wildfire, reaching many millions through AJC Twitter, Facebook and Instagram,” said Harris. “The response has been overwhelming. Diplomats from many countries, leaders of Christian, Muslim, Sikh and other faith communities, journalist Arianna Huffington, actors Jeremy Pivin and Mayim Bialik, Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and Patrick Leahy, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, among many others, have endorsed the initiative.
“We are not alone,” said Harris, who praised the many thousands of people who already have declared that they will be attending Shabbat services this weekend.” As an example, a European ambassador will be joining Harris and his family at synagogue, and expressing his solidarity from the podium.
Representatives of AJC’s 22 offices across the United States have reached out to communal partners and local government officials to ask them to participate in the #ShowUpForShabbat campaign. Simultaneously, AJC’s 11 international offices are working with partners in over 35 Jewish communities around the globe to launch similar initiatives locally.
“The community of conscience must stand as one, whether in the face of the hate-motivated attack against a black church in Charleston, which took nine lives, or a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which took 11 lives,” said Harris. “We are determined to ensure that love triumphs over hate, good over evil, unity over division. That’s our America.” – From American Jewish Committee