Letters to the Editor | Oct. 8, 2024

The Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, shattered normal life for the Jewish community. Yet, amid our mourning, we faced another unsettling reality: a surge in antisemitism here at home. College students reached out to me, expressing fear and confusion as they encountered hostility on campuses. They were advised to hide symbols of their Jewish identity — fraternity letters, yarmulkes, or anything with Hebrew on it. We can do more to protect them. Both U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey (along with Casey’s election opponent, David McCormick) are strong proponents of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would give the U.S. Department of Education the ability to enforce federal antidiscrimination laws to protect Jewish students. This bill should be brought for a vote in the Senate as quickly as possible.

In addition, more federal funds are needed to support the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Many residents of Pennsylvania know that our commonwealth is infamously home to the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. After Oct. 7, as threats grew, we were forced to increase security measures. The hefty security fees many synagogues pass on to congregants amount to an antisemitism tax. Yet, fewer than half of funding requests for the grant program were fulfilled in the 2024 cycle.

Finally, to our friends, neighbors, and allies: Your support matters more than you may realize. Solidarity isn’t just about grand gestures, it’s about acknowledging shared humanity and refusing to be indifferent in the face of bullying. As we move forward, let us work together to build bridges of understanding. By uniting against hatred, we can foster a community where everyone feels safe, valued, and heard. Together, we can ensure that the lessons of Oct. 7 ultimately lead to a renewed commitment to peace and unity.

Rabbi Eric Yanoff, Congregation Adath Israel, Merion Station

Our politicians can now celebrate one year of expanded unconditional support to Israel in its war on the occupied territories, instigated by Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023. What has our support and tax money accomplished? Israel has not achieved its declared aims of hostage release or the defeat of Hamas. However, we have enabled Israel to massacre mostly civilian Palestinians and Lebanese, to destroy most of Gaza, to kill United Nations personnel and journalists, and to expand its illegal settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

None of this should be a surprise given the program and record of Israel’s government aimed at perpetual Israeli sovereignty over Palestine, from the river to the sea, running what Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch consider a system of apartheid with different laws for Israeli Jews and remaining Palestinians. Paradoxically, most of our politicians claim to support a two-state solution while supporting policies that make peace and reconciliation ever more distant. For the sake of the whole world and to reveal our humanity, it is high time for us to stop supporting Israel’s violations of international law, to stop our weapons deliveries, and to finally impose an immediate cease-fire and a hostage-prisoner exchange.

Hans Lofgren, Swarthmore

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