At Newton forum on antisemitism, a pledge to stand with Israel
NEWTON — The local Jewish community gathered at City Hall on Wednesday evening for a public forum on combating hate and antisemitism, but Israel’s war with Hamas militants, and the trauma felt here, weighed heavily in the discussion.
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller condemned the “vicious attacks” launched by Hamas over the weekend, lamented the loss of innocent lives, and declared “solidarity with the people of Israel.”
“We are here tonight to deepen our understanding of each other and our connections with each other,” Fuller told the more than 200 who had assembled. “We are here together to speak out against antisemitism and hate, violence and terrorism. We join together to stand up for our community values of respect and inclusion, diversity and equity, acceptance, and compassion.”
As incidents of antisemitism and hate escalate locally and nationally, “our need to act as allies to respect the rights, differences, and dignity of others is essential,” Fuller said.
Fuller was one of eight speakers at the event entitled, “Interrupting Antisemitism and Hate in Our Community, Creating Allyship through Understanding and Action.”
City officials, educators, and law enforcement officials spoke of how to combat hate in the schools, on the streets, and in the courts through alliances and action.
Newton Public Schools Superintendent Anna Nolin said there were 100 incidents of harassment or bullying due to race, culture, ethnicity, or national origin last year in the city’s schools. There were also 24 documented incidents of religious affiliation and persecution.
The school district learned Wednesday, Nolin said, that it was the recipient of a $50,000 grant for anti-hate and antisemitic education programs that would help bolster current curriculum about “the consequences of hate and antisemitism.”
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said that since Jan. 1, 22 people have been charged with hate crimes in the county, including three for antisemitic incidents, three involving Asian hate, nine against people of color, five against the LGBTQ+ community, and one against the Latin X Community.
Nolin and Ryan said they both collaborate with the AntiDefamation League for training, advice, and direction.
Rabbi Ron Fish, the ADL’s Northeast division director of antisemitism advocacy and education, warned against “twisted versions of reality” that frame the deadly attacks against Israel as a liberation tactic, or retaliation for a “claimed” genocide against Palestinians.
“That is a smear, it is a distortion, it is a form of antisemitism,” Fish said.
Laura Lerner, 59, an attorney who lives in Newton, said she didn’t know “what to expect” from Wednesday’s discussion but walked away with “practical” advice.
“It gave me some food for thought for what I need to do to come out of the darkness, which is very heavy right now,” Lerner said. “I’ve always been a Zionist my entire life and I happen to be married to an Israeli. I’m worrying horribly about my family.”
Since the attacks against Israel began, Lerner said she has found it challenging to try to explain the situation to non-Jewish people “who don’t understand.”
“We have to arm ourselves with facts,” she said. “There’s a lot of disinformation.”
Rachel Geller, 62, a certified cat behaviorist, attended the panel discussion with her husband, Joel Kaplan, 67, who owns an advertising agency.
“It’s really important to know as a Jewish person that our elected officials, that our representatives, the people in our community stand with us and understand and support our needs to feel safe and secure in our community,” Geller said.
Geller said she “experienced a lot of antisemitism growing up” in Maine as the daughter of a rabbi.
“I guess there was a false security living in a community like Newton, or a state like Massachusetts, that there wouldn’t be as much antisemitism,” Geller said. “But, it’s out there. It’s very reassuring to know that our leaders understand this and are supporting us.”