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Rabbi's Week in Review - 2/3/2025

02/03/2025 07:13:12 PM

Feb3

Recently, there have been moves afoot, both executive and legislative, that claim, in the interest of fighting antisemitism, to seek out those who would harass or commit violence against Jews.  While, on its face, this might seem like a good thing for us — I worry about violent acts of antisemitism — these present efforts are cynically broad in that they could (and are arguably intended) to attack free speech and the right of protest that have been sacrosanct in American democracy.

There is a troubling, long-standing history of using us and our desire to fight antisemitism to impose anti-democratic attacks on speech, protest and a free press. Often, the source of these efforts are those who represent the most severe antisemitic threat. We need only to remember recent history — the killing of Jewish worshippers in Pittsburgh and near San Diego, as well as the murders at our own Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom — to understand where the greatest existential threat exists.

We may not like, much less agree, with all speech. Some of it can be pretty ugly. Yet, we also know that we as Jews in America have benefited from a society that values and allows for free speech, for peaceful protest, and to not live under a threat of deportation when we give voice to our views. Let us not be used by those who care little for our welfare.

Sat, February 15 2025 17 Shevat 5785