Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 31, 2020

The Anti-Defamation League said last year that it documented its largest number of anti-Semitic incidents around the country. Vandalism increased 19 percent from 774 incidents in 2018, to 919 in 2019, according to its Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents.

Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman, vice-president of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Southern Division, said waking up to see anti-Semitic vandalism spray painted throughout ones neighborhood is never easy to swallow.

They always spark a lot of emotion and anger and fear, and I think they make people feel pretty uneasy and alienated, she said.

The Cobb County Police Department is investigating another report of racist vandalism in the same area. An East Cobb resident reported early last week that a swastika and MAGA 2020 were spray painted overnight on the fence in the 2500 block of Holly Springs Road, according to an incident report shared by the agency. MAGA 2020 is the abbreviation for President Donald Trumps campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. A swastika was also painted on a street sign, the report adds.

Sernovitz said the East Cobb community has experienced anti-Semitic vandalism over the years, but its important for residents to come together and say that these incidents are not OK. The Jewish community, like other marginalized groups, have learned over the years that when they are dehumanized it can lead to acts of violence against them. Its easier to kill you, he said. Refusing to speak out against hate allows that dehumanization to continue, the rabbi said.

Its not enough to have a token person in your life, he said. Once you get to know someone, its really hard to hate them. And in the broken world in which we live, we must all come together and see the humanity in one another.

Link:

Swastikas found spray-painted in East Cobb spur action from synagogue - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Category: Synagogue
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