People susceptible to antisemitic behavior, it turns out, aren’t so for want of a single touchpoint with Jewish pedagogy, as “inoculation” would suggest. (In fact, to the contrary: We find that many “inoculated” folks misuse their limited knowledge of Jewish history or the Holocaust in attacking Jews.)
Read MorePlease, I beg you, do not give Hamas this win. Come, march with us in DC—it’s important that we have a large, powerful turnout. And when you do, march for peace; march for justice for the Israeli people; and march with compassion.
Read MoreYesterday, I was on a panel discussing Israel's war with Hamas that went seriously off the rails. The recording isn't pretty, but I think it's important for folks to recognize what we're up against, and I share the link to it with that in mind. Be aware that, as WVXU's site says, the segment "contains language some may find inflammatory and/or offensive."
Read MoreNone of you need me to tell you that going backward is impossible. We can’t return to a time when we are ignorant of the existential threats Hamas poses to Israel. We can’t go back to when, for just a few hours of October 7 and 8, much of the world ephemerally rallied to condemn terrorism and support Israel.
Read MoreThese are scary days for the Jewish people. Many wonder silently or aloud: Do we take the kippah off our heads? Remove the Jewish star chain from our neck? Take down the mezuzah off our doorposts? Lower, if we have it, the Israeli flag from outside our homes? I’m sure Muslims wonder similar things these days too, mutatis mutandis.
Read MoreIn this moment of tears, I want us to take stock of the nechamah, the comfort, some of our allies have extended us. These are the seeds we sow, which—God-willing—will bear fruit in happier days.
Read MorePeople are describing this as Israel's 9/11, but that doesn't even capture it. The proportional death toll already is 7 times 9/11. And that doesn't take into account that basically the whole country is in immediate danger.
Read MoreEvery act of solidarity is an act of defiance, a rebuke of the extremists. Every act of solidarity is an act of hope.
Read MoreThe West Chester Tea Party’s behavior is only enabled in a context where they perceive the public to be sufficiently ambivalent about antisemitism. To care, perhaps, but not too much. And maybe this Tea Party chapter is right, given how long they have continued their vitriol unchecked.
Read MoreAsk almost any person of color, anyone of a minority religion, or anyone who doesn't fit into the mainstream mold, and they'll tell you that hate, intolerance and bigotry are on the rise. Recent findings by the Anti-Defamation League, Southern Poverty Law Center and FBI back this intuition up with hard data. In light of the evidence, what’s a person in a vulnerable group to do? How can an ally be part of the solution?
Read MoreSuffice it to say, the Cohen Family Leaders in Light Institute doesn’t just impact the 20 individuals who sit in a room together and learn during their fellowship experience. Instead, we share the resources—the amazing people we bring to Cincinnati—with everyone else.
Read MoreAs an organization, we continue to monitor the situation in Israel—in which unprecedented numbers of Israelis are standing up to say enough is enough. Likewise, we seek to head off a similar crisis in Ohio. Come Tuesday, we’ll finally find out what happens.
Read MoreAll through my recent encounter with Lakota Board of Education member Darbi Boddy, I’ve repeated one thing: I would like to meet with Mrs. Boddy, one on one, so we can build trust and better communicate our values/concerns to one another. You might wonder why I think that’s worthwhile or what I think could be gained.
Read MoreLet’s not let all these signatures go to waste. Let’s get out the vote!
Read MoreThat we have elected officials from our Jewish community at the local, state, and federal levels—all at the same time—underscores just how organized and impactful we are here in Cincinnati.
Read MoreWe won’t back down on ensuring women’s rights to bodily autonomy simply because others aren’t playing fair.
Read MoreWe may never see eye to eye, but we need to at least be able to look one another in the face.
Read MoreEven two-plus millennia after its inception, a holiday like Passover can have so much power for Jews worldwide. It reignites our engagement with the metaphorical and ensures we bring our whole history into our present work.
Read MoreI want to be sure that people who engage in antisemitic activity realize that they are in the minority; that we Jews might be just 2% of the population, but our allies are numerous, diverse, and resolute in standing up to Jewish hate.
Read MoreIn naming and defining the hate we face, we tell our haters that they are no longer anonymous and that they can no longer pretend that their behavior is acceptable.
Read More
