J Street Disturbed by anti-Semitic Defacement of Temple De Hirsch Sinai

March 12, 2017

We were deeply distressed to learn that Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle, Washington was defaced with Holocaust-denying graffiti yesterday.  The congregation’s Senior Rabbi, Danny Weiner, serves as the co-Chair of the local J Street Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet.

Our thoughts are with Rabbi Weiner, his congregants and the members of the Jewish community of Greater Seattle area who have now been victims of three anti-Semitic incidents in the past two weeks. Since January, there have been over 100 threats made against Jewish community centers and schools across the country, including one in Mercer Island, Washington.

These attacks are part and parcel of a troubling and precipitous nationwide rise in hate crimes since the November 2016 elections.  Blacks and other people of color, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, immigrants and the LGBTQ community have all been targets.

Expressions of support and solidarity by other vulnerable communities with the victims of these crimes have provided comfort. They are, however, insufficient when not coupled with an unequivocal denunciation of these attacks and a commitment to defend the fundamental rights of all citizens to live in peace and security by President Trump himself—a response that has, to date, been sorely lacking.

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