By Heidi Gantwerk in San Diego
Yesterday was hard.
The attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan once again made very real the danger of rising antisemitism and the threat it poses to our Jewish communities. Since the start of the latest conflict in the Middle East, synagogues from Canada to Belgium have faced attacks. And, once again, we are called upon to state the obvious: that any violence directed against Jewish places of worship is antisemitism, not a legitimate form of protest.
We all have a role to play in meeting this moment with action. We must call out antisemitism wherever and whenever it occurs. We must encourage public officials and other civic leaders to unequivocally condemn and combat rising antisemitic violence while thanking those who do. And finally, we must advocate for state and federal legislation to support enhanced security tools for Jewish facilities and organizations.
It feels heavy, and sometimes we lose hope. But we are about to enter the month of Nissan, which is a month of renewal, and a month of hope.
Last night, after a very long and stressful day, I had the honor of leading a Rosh Chodesh session at my synagogue, one of several events happening across our Jewish community last night. There were nearly 50 women there to set intentions for the month ahead, explore themes of renewal and of hope, and to express gratitude for the blessings in their lives.
The energy in the room was affirming and healing. Together, we created a sacred space. Over and over, people expressed how much it meant to them to be in community, how much the group strengthened them, and how meaningful it was to be with other Jewish women who shared their values, their anxieties, their curiosity and compassion.
We closed with gratitude, and people were overflowing with appreciation for the Jewish people and institutions in their lives. I left full of gratitude myself, for the many blessings our community offers us. I’d like to share some of that gratitude with you now, in the hope that we can all go into Shabbat balancing the anger and concern over those who would do us harm with the countless ways in which our community safeguards and strengthens us all.
Here are just a few of the blessings I am grateful for today:
- Our Federation’s community security director and all the incredible security guards, volunteers and law enforcement officials who work tirelessly to keep Jews here and around the country safe – especially those who saved so many lives yesterday in Michigan.
- The passionate, skilled and caring preschool, synagogue and day school educators who create such warm and nurturing Jewish spaces for our children.
- The teens and young adults who are proudly stepping up and creating new modes of Jewish expression and engagement.
- Our amazing clergy and Jewish leaders who work tirelessly to nurture Jewish life and to defend the Jewish people.
I have so many more I could name, and I encourage you to take a moment to consider your own blessings that make your Jewish life meaningful – your own powerful counters to the threats and stress we face.
A few years back, I asked you to share what gave you hope, and I still look back at those heartfelt answers today. Once again, I would love to hear from you: what are you grateful for today? What is it that enriches your Jewish experience and makes you feel that you belong?
I wish you a peaceful and restorative Shabbat. I am grateful for you.
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Heidi Gantwerk is President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego.