Letters to the Editor | Nov. 15, 2026
Inquirer readers on the boycott bike ride in Rittenhouse Square.
History lesson
About two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak with German high school students in Korbach, Germany, about the town’s Jewish history and the synagogue where my grandfather once served as rabbi. That synagogue was destroyed during Kristallnacht, Nov. 9 and 10, 1938.
I never imagined that, just two weeks after this experience, I would be writing about a protest targeting Jewish-owned restaurants in my own hometown of Philadelphia.
Let me be clear: Criticism of Israel’s government and its policies is entirely legitimate. Advocacy for Palestinian rights is legitimate. But singling out Jewish businesses for exclusion from the community, accompanied by rhetoric declaring that they must go, crosses a profoundly troubling line — particularly on the anniversary of Kristallnacht.
I am not suggesting that a bicycle protest is equivalent to the Nazi violence of Kristallnacht. It is not. But history teaches us to recognize the dangers of making Jewish neighbors and businesses unwelcome, regardless of the political language used to justify it.
For me, this is not abstract history. My grandparents were subjected to the persecution of Jews in Germany and ultimately were murdered in Auschwitz. My family bears its consequences to this day.
Standing before those German students, I was encouraged by their willingness to confront the darkest chapters of their country’s history. It would be tragic if, while a new generation of Germans is working to understand those lessons, we failed to heed them here at home.
We cannot change what happened in Korbach in 1938. But we can decide what we are willing to tolerate in Philadelphia in 2026.
Remembering history is not enough. We have a responsibility to recognize its warnings and speak out when it matters.
Joel Goldwein, Merion Station
. . .
I can’t help but be struck by the irony and hypocrisy of condemning the Philly Boycott Ride by invoking the heinous acts perpetrated by Nazis on Jews during Kristallnacht, when the state of Israel has perpetrated similar crimes on the Palestinian people for decades.
I wish more of the people of Philadelphia, our civic leaders, and The Inquirer Editorial Board could muster as much outrage over the killing and maiming of tens of thousands of defenseless civilians — and the intentional destruction and deprivation of all that supports life in Gaza — as they have over the Philly Boycott Ride.
Deborah McIlvaine, Philadelphia
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Letters feature a reader’s written opinion and are submitted in response to an article in The Inquirer or another topical issue. Submissions should be sent to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include the writer’s home address and day and evening phone number. Letters are published in the Inquirer six days a week on the print opinion pages and online.
