It’s up to all of us to root out hatred in our society

In 1891 my great-grandmother Masha, age 11, boarded a ship to America. Her mother Anna gave her two Shabbat candelabras — heavy, made with bronze. She was told to always honor the Shabbat. Masha was fleeing Minsk as pogroms were spreading, and Jews were terrorized at will.

In the year of 2024 I think heavily on this story. I am president of Meyerland Area Democrats here in Houston. It’s the largest such organization in Texas, and our community is the largest Jewish community in the state. We have monthly meetings with intensive discussions and speakers as we build the Democratic Party.

However, on Monday, Feb. 19, a most terrifying situation unfolded — a scene that could be set in 1933. As a speaker, we invited U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher. She has been a fabulous representative and is highly respected. But instead of a meeting with our representative about what lies ahead in 2024, we wound up with something else.

For weeks, groups of disrupters have been showing up at organizations in our community, stirred up by Fletcher’s opponent and by crude anti-Jewish tropes being pushed in elements of our society.

On this night, they decided to come for us.

It began with sets of them sitting in our meeting space at a church. They kept filing in — eating our food — and sitting on the front row. It became apparent that they planned to try something.

We had with us our constable and some of his deputies. Two dozen of these protesters showed to a meeting in a largely Jewish neighborhood. I decided it would not be productive to have Rep. Fletcher arrive in the room. Then as I brought the meeting to order and announced she would not be able to come, these individuals began with chants relying on tropes about Israel and Jews.

I was told — and yes, I’m Jewish — that I am “owned by AIPAC” (American Israel Public Affairs). One of our members was asked if she were a Jew. Law enforcement hauled out protesters one by one as they disrupted. Each time I resumed the meeting, another wave would pop up, running around with their phones, filming what they were doing to us.

Once all were escorted out, they began pounding at the entrance doors.

For 30 minutes, they pounded and screamed. I thought the glass panels would break.

Roughly 100 people, coming for a regular meeting in free assembly, felt trapped inside by these individuals pounding the doors of the entrance. We had police with us, but it was harrowing.

This kind of scene is becoming more common in America. Antisemitism rises when there is rot in society. When too many stay too silent. Will my own local Democratic Party condemn these actions? Will the national Democratic Party finally disavow a handful of members of the Democratic congressional caucus who time and again egg on these tropes? Will the Republicans ever rid themselves of the many in their party who espouse virulent hate of Jews?

Events like this do not happen in a vacuum. Today it is disrupting a meeting. Banging on doors. Frightening people. Tomorrow? Next month? Year? My great-grandmother fled Russia to avoid terror, and now this very same terror is rising here in the U.S., in the place of freedom. Another day, another incident. How will this end?

Take a stand against this hatred. Root it out. Our city, state and nation are becoming a lesser place because of the growing wave of antisemitism. Too many do not understand what an emergency this is: Most Jews in America no longer feel secure. Monday night did not help. It’s up to us to call it out and root it out before it’s too late.