Standing Against Hate

In recent days, events in the Philadelphia Jewish community have left us feeling heartbroken, frightened, and angered. On Sunday, it was discovered that several hundred graves had been vandalized at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in the Northeast. Today alone, 20 American Jewish institutions received bomb threats including the Kaiserman JCC and Perelman Jewish Day School in Wynnewood, and the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill, NJ.

The safety of our synagogue and school communities is an essential priority. We have begun a comprehensive review of our security needs and available resources, and we will share further details with you in the coming days.

Over the past few months there has been an increase in acts of hatred and violence directed toward religious and ethnic minority groups in our country, including Jews. Jewish communities around the United States have faced anti-semitic acts including bomb threats, vandalism, and cemetery desecrations. We find ourselves in darker days than American Jews have known in a very long time.

Yesterday, after visiting Mt. Carmel Cemetery with BZBI members Scott and Max Shandler, Rabbi Goldman reflected:

In our Jewish tradition, taking care of the needs of the dead is unique among mitzvot; our rabbis call it an act of true loving kindness, “chesed shel emet,” since one who has died cannot repay any kindness shown to her. I thought of this teaching as I arrived yesterday at Mt. Carmel Cemetery with fellow rabbis and saw people already at work restoring the vandalized grounds with love.

As I walked around and surveyed the damage, I saw row upon row of toppled headstones. I was overwhelmed with grief by the degree of damage and desecration. In all, we counted 539 headstones that were toppled. It was clearly a deliberate and cowardly act of desecration.

Soon others arrived at the cemetery. Jews, Christians, Quakers and Muslims from around Philadelphia came to show their support and to help right toppled tombstones. We came together as sisters and brothers, united in our commitment to fight hate and oppression. The desecration of any of our holy places is a desecration of God’s name. Working together this way, I was filled with hope. It is clear to me that in the face of this act of hate our Jewish community, and the faith community of Philadelphia, will be stronger.

As the sky darkened, we closed the day with a Ma’ariv minyan, praying and singing together among the stones, invoking the memory of our community’s ancestors who were laid to rest at Mt. Carmel.  Our Muslim and Christian neighbors stood with us. I spoke about the evening service’s theme of faith amidst the darkness. The statement of faith of the Sh’ma is prefaced by a declaration of God’s love for us. Once we have opened our hearts, and declared our faith in God, we are then challenged to commit to going back out into the world with love and justice, even when all we see around us is darkness.

These are painful times. Please know that we are here for you. If you would like to talk, please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the clergy.

At times like these we know our strength derives from our connections to community. We invite you to join us for prayer and reflection on Wednesday, March 1, following the 5:30 PM evening minyan.

There will also be a community-wide gathering of support, organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, on Thursday, March 2 at noon called “Stand Against Hate,” at Independence Mall. We expect it will draw thousands of people from multiple faith communities and the full diversity of Philadelphia. School age children are welcome to attend; we will pass along details as they become available.

Donations can be made through the Federation on their website. Questions about donations and service opportunities can be directed to Federation, atmtcarmelcemetery@jewishphilly.org. Funds exceeding the cost of restoration and repairs at Mt. Carmel will be used for the growing security needs of our Jewish community.

With blessings of hope and courage,

Abe Friedman
Senior Rabbi

Yosef Goldman
Rabbi