Please join the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland for its 105^th Annual Meeting next Thursday, June 12 at 4:30 p.m. at Congregation Neveh Shalom. We will share about our work from this past year, launch a new community initiative, and recognize Mindy Zeitzer, our outgoing Chair of the Board, for her three years of exceptional leadership. Register here.

Early Sunday afternoon, at the outdoor Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, Colorado, Mohammed Sabry Soliman used a "makeshift flamethrower" and yelled "Free Palestine!" as he threw Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israel gathering, leaving 12 people with burns. The suspect had another 16 unused Molotov cocktails at the time of his arrest. This took place at the site of a peaceful weekly march to advocate for the hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023 and who have yet to be released.

Soliman has been charged with a federal hate crime, as well as 16 state charges, including attempted murder and assault.

The attack in Boulder is another example of domestic terror aimed at the Jewish community. Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, wrote, “Make no mistake: If and when Jews are targeted to protest Israel’s actions, it should clearly and unequivocally be understood and condemned as antisemitism.”

Soliman was “globalizing the intifada” (Arabic for uprising). Without going into detail, I was at the Beaverton School District board meeting on Monday night where a large group of anti-Israel protesters were in attendance in support of a school board member (read here and here). After they left the meeting, here is a short video of the group. Words matter!

Noted Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal wrote this week:

“I have not heard anti-Israel demonstrators speak about peace, coexistence, rebuilding Gaza, victory for moderates, or even the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel. The tone and rhetoric are exclusively of binary struggle against Israel and anyone who supports it, the delegitimization of its very existence, and the demonization of the idea that Jews deserve a state—like every other people…Those who spent years spreading hatred toward “Zionists” — meaning Jews — and toward Israel are now reaping the rewards: violence.”

We can all recognize that concerns and experiences of antisemitism have surged in direct response to October 7. In the past two weeks, we have seen words lead to violent actions with people killed and injured. The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland stands with Jewish organizations across the ideological spectrum and endorses the following steps be taken by our government: 

• Congress increase Nonprofit Security Grant (NSGP) funding to $1 billion to meet the urgent and growing need and demand. The process is cumbersome and lacks transparency, and should be made more flexible and accessible, and ensure funds are disbursed quickly. Last year only 43% of applicants received funding. 

• The government dedicate funding to meet the urgent need for additional security personnel at Jewish institutions, such as day schools, synagogues, Jewish early childhood centers, JCCs, and summer camps. 

• The FBI increase its intelligence capabilities to prioritize and thwart domestic terrorism and receive whatever funding it needs to do so. 

• The government increase funding for local police and law enforcement to create capacity for both monitoring and protecting Jewish institutions. The demands on local and state law enforcement far outpace their capacity to meet the need, which disproportionately affects targeted communities like the American Jewish community. 

• The government aggressively prosecute antisemitic hate crimes and extreme violence to the full extent of the law. 

• The government hold social media, gaming, messaging, and other online platforms accountable for amplification of antisemitic hate, glorification of terrorism, extremism, disinformation, and incitement.

I am proud that our Jewish Federation was the fourth community in America to partner with Secure Community Network and hire a full-time director of community security. Jessica Anderson, our current director, works with Jewish organizations across the state to provide resources, threat assessments, and trainings. Moreover, the Jewish Federation, in partnership with the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation and generous donors, provided $250,000 in security grants this past year to 31 Jewish organizations across the state to help with security needs. This is on top of the $1.1 million our organizations already spend. We will provide that same level of funding for the next two years. We take security very seriously!

Several months ago, I shared the link for the Voice of the People survey spearheaded by Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel. Over 10,000 people from around the world participated, including people from Portland. The study was just released and captured a snapshot of the Jewish people’s greatest current challenges, deepest reflections, and hopes for the future. Download the full report here.

One of the key findings, sadly not surprising, is that rising antisemitism stands as the most pressing challenge for the global Jewish population. Three out of four Jewish individuals (76%) identified it as the top challenge.

Interestingly, in the 2022 Voice of the People survey, antisemitism ranked 6^th in relevance behind issues like Jewish continuity, ideological divides, and Israel-Diaspora rifts.

Times have changed – and not for the better. I highly recommend you read this Op-Ed from Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women.

Katz writes, “As a country, we Americans are practiced in calling out antisemitism when it appears in the form of bullets aimed at synagogues or neo-Nazis chanting ‘Jews will not replace us.’ But fighting hate means calling out antisemitism every time — long before speech turns violent — even when it comes from activists who otherwise share our values. When antisemitism emerges within progressive spaces, cloaked in the language of justice, too often it is met with silence and discomfort, creating echo chambers where dangerous ideas are amplified rather than confronted." 

My main message to all of us -- be vigilant and continue to show up proudly as Jews.

Finally, the results of the World Zionist Congress elections are in. Thank you to those who participated. You will see that voting from the United States nearly doubled since the last election five years ago.

Shabbat shalom, I hope to see you at our Annual Meeting, and happy birthday to my sister in Chicago (she tells me she reads my email each week).