‘Don’t be silent’: Religious leaders meet in Miami-Dade to stand against antisemitism

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The FBI introduced there was a “broad menace” to synagogues in New Jersey. A vandal painted swastikas at a playground in Weston. A bunch of self-proclaimed Neo-Nazis held a public protest in Orlando. There have been “Kanye was proper” banners in Jacksonville and Los Angeles.

These are among the disturbing incidents that adopted the current antisemitic rhetoric Kanye West, now referred to as Ye, unleashed on Twitter. Kyrie Irving, a Brooklyn Nets participant, was suspended for defending Ye and later apologized.

With the upcoming midterm elections, there was additionally the person who wrote Holocaust denial posts earlier than attacking Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer, whereas looking for her. A bunch of non secular leaders met to name for motion on Friday in North Miami Seashore.

“I’ve referred to as my colleagues to face in my ache as I’ll stand of their ache,” stated Rabbi Alan Litwak, who hosted the assembly at Temple Sinai of North Dade.

The group standing towards antisemitism additionally included Rev. Gaston E. Smith, of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Miami’s Liberty Metropolis; Rev. Gregory Thompson, of the New Harvest Baptist Church, in Westview; Joshua Sayles, of the Larger Miami Jewish Federation; and Rabbi Fred Klein, of the Rabbinical Affiliation of Larger Miami.

“Our struggles are comparable,” Smith stated referring to the Black group’s struggles with racism, and he added that “to guage, to pre-judge, of somebody’s religion, ethnicity, origin, is totally demonic, evil and depraved and it’s merciless.”

Sayles agreed and he stated the solidarity is mutual.

“The one group focused greater than the Jewish individuals are African Individuals,” Sayles stated.

On Thursday, the FBI urged Jews to “take all safety precautions” to guard their group and services in New Jersey, and The Anti-Defamation League requested the general public to stay “calm” however on a “heightened state of alert.” On Friday, On Friday, the FBI recognized the offender saying he now not posed a menace.

“Sadly in a rustic based on the values of freedom of faith, our communities are susceptible in the present day,” Klein stated.

Antisemitic incidents nationwide reached an all-time excessive final 12 months, in keeping with the Anti-Defamation League’s annual report launched earlier this 12 months.

The assaults towards Jewish establishments, together with group facilities and synagogues, elevated by about 60%, incidents at Ok-12 faculties elevated by about 105%, and incidents on school campuses elevated by about 20%.

“Good individuals are not racist; good individuals are not antisemitic,” Thompson stated. “Good folks don’t tear; good folks construct up!”

The ADL additionally reported the best annual whole variety of incidents of harassment, vandalism, or violence focusing on Jews since 1979. There have been practically 2,720 studies in 2021.

Final week, the Jewish group honored the 11 victims of the deadliest antisemitic assault in U.S. historical past on Oct. 27, 2018, on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.

The leaders warned that historical past has proven how antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories can escalate into violence with out intervention.

“Don’t be silent within the face of hate and violence, within the Jewish group, or some other group,” Klein stated.