Unitarian Universalists for Jewish Awareness

Is There More Antisemitic Activity than Ever?

Time: May 14, 2020 02:30 PM ET/11.30 AM PT

On Tuesday, ADL released the results of its 40th annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents in America.

Poway, Jersey City and Monsey topped the list of deadly incidents in 2019 and other forms of hate against Jews like harassment, assaults and antisemitic graffiti were reported in nearly every state, and affected people of every age, from K-12 students to older adults.

Join ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and our Center on Extremism team for this conversation about the results, and ways you can take action to fight antisemitism.

We will also discuss the environment for antisemitism in 2020, a year of heightened uncertainty due to the coronavirus and the economic disruption that has resulted from it.

From our friends at JewBelong:
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) and like so many things these days, it’s hard to know what to do. Fortunately, small acts make a difference. Please start by lighting a virtual candle. It’s easy and a lot more meaningful than it might sound. Go to www.illuminatethepast.org and click the yellow button that says “light a memorial candle.” Illuminate the Past will immediately give you the name and any known facts about someone who was murdered in the Holocaust. Most victims have no one left to remember them, so it becomes our honor and responsibility to do it. We just clicked and received the name Miriam Riba. Miriam was born in Warsaw, Poland and killed in the Holocaust. There is no record of how old she was when she died. But Miriam had a life and deserves to be remembered. Thank you to Illuminate the Past for making it easy for all of us to do this mitzvah of remembering. A little light goes a long way. Please stay healthy.

Love,

From Rev. Debra Haffner the following:
"Dayenu for Passover in the Time of Covid".
· If we are blessed with food from our grocery stores or delivery, and by the people who stock them, sell them, deliver them– Dayenu.
· If we are blessed with doctors, nurses, hospital clerks, EMT’s and hospitals adequately supplied with ventilators and personal protective gear– Dayenu.
· If we are blessed with scientists, epidemiologists, public health care workers, and Dr. Fauci – Dayenu.
· If we are blessed to have supplies – toilet paper, tooth paste, hand sanitizer, disinfectant, plastic gloves, masks, and chocolate– Dayenu.
· If we are blessed by wise public officials, from the local health departments to the governors to the Congress and the White House – Dayenu.
· If we are blessed by testing, and treatments, and a vaccine to save the world from this virus – Dayenu.
Dayenu. We hope, we pray that it will be enough.

Dear ones, my heart continues to grieve for the Jewish community in Monsey, New York as they grieve and tend to one another. I pray for the wider Jewish community in New York and around the country. This attack was the 13th incident of anti-Semitism in New York in the past three weeks. I am thinking of my Jewish siblings within Unitarian Universalism tonight and our congregations that have experienced acts of violence and acts of vandalism, including anti-Semitic vandalism. The rise in anti-Semitism is real and deadly. Across this country, the rise in hate crimes, against Jews, Muslims, people of color, immigrants, trans people, LGBTQIA+ people - it calls us to do more to resist fear and hate - to speak up in the midst of growing racism, xenophobia and white nationalism. All of these forms of hate foster violence and create fear. As people of goodwill, as people of faith, as Unitarian Universalists, may we remember our calling to nurture the values and practices of compassion and interdependence. May we speak and act and live in ways that foster more compassion, solidarity, and a powerful form of love that “casts out fear” so we might better protect and care for one another, for everyone, for the wholeness of our humanity.

May we remember, even as we acknowledge our capacity as human beings for violence, that there is so much more that is possible for humanity - so much more care and goodness and generosity. When we choose love we nurture that possibility. May we find the resiliency and faith in times of tragedy and violence, to continue to kindle what is life-giving.

And may we all hold each other and our loved ones more closely these days, and be tender with our selves - making room for our grief and for our love.

The Board of Unitarian Universalists for Jewish Awareness extends our caring and support to the UU Church of Augusta Georgia following the recent vandalism of their building. We recognize that the anti-Semitic symbols may have been especially disturbing to UUs of Jewish heritage, as well as members of the Jewish community at large.

Virtual Gathering: UUJA – Space for Grief and Healing:
The UUJA recognizes that this incident of vandalism may be a particularly painful reminder to Unitarian Universalists with Jewish identity across our Association. We will host a virtual gathering for people in our faith with Jewish identity who are looking for a space for grief and healing around the rise of anti-Semitic acts on Tuesday, November 26th from 7:00pm - 8:00pm Eastern on Zoom.

You can join us at the following link:

Topic: UUJA - Space for Grief and Healing
Time: Nov 26, 2019 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/333484250

Meeting ID: 333 484 250

One tap mobile
+16465588656,,333484250# US (New York)
+16699006833,,333484250# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 333 484 250
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ac5w3q7vrG

Many UUs have a connection to Judaism. Whether we are ethnically, culturally or spiritually Jewish, whether we are married to a Jewish person, or simply inspired by Jewish wisdom, we have long had a place in Unitarian Universalism. One of the six sources of our living tradition we draw upon in our worship and religious education is "Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves."

Unitarian Universalists for Jewish Awareness is committed to supporting Unitarian Universalist Jewish multi-religiosity.

We offer resources to:
• those who have come to Unitarian Universalism from Judaism
• interfaith/multi-religious individuals and families
• religious professionals
• anyone with a personal or spiritual interest in Jewish UU theology, stories, heritage and resources.

We work to help people understand Judaism and the ways it has impacted and continues to develop our Unitarian Universalist faith.