Community at Temple Israel
Rabbi’s Message – September 26, 2024
As you are aware, the situation in Springfield has been quite tenuous over the past few weeks. Several of you have spoken to me about threats and fears you’re facing. My heart is with you, the city of Springfield, and the Haitian community. All of us should be deeply concerned by what is happening in our backyard. Springfield residents are facing bomb threats and gatherings of neo-Nazi and white supremacists.
Jewish values teach us to treat all people with dignity and uphold principles of compassion, justice, and welcoming of strangers. History has shown us the dangerous path that devaluing or generalizing people based on their cultural origins can lead to. It is essential for the Jewish community to speak out against hatred directed at any minority group. I was proud to see the Dayton Jewish Federation send letters of support to the Haitian Community Center and appreciate many of my colleagues asking for ways to offer support.
As you may have heard, I had the opportunity on Sunday to participate in a prayer gathering alongside diverse clergy from across Ohio and beyond. I wore a tallit once donned by Rabbi Irving Bloom z”l, in honor of our congregation’s historical commitment to social justice. I was glad to support Springfield’s Haitian community with my patronage, as well. Yesterday, I joined my colleague Rabbi Rick Kellner (Congregation Beth Tikvah, Worthington) for a wonderful lunch at Keket Bongou. The food was delicious, and the staff was deeply touched by our presence.
In times like these, our voices and actions matter. We must stand together in solidarity, offering not only our prayers but also tangible support to those facing hatred and fear. Let us continue to live out the values of justice and compassion that our tradition calls us to uphold. Whether through advocacy, patronage, or simply reaching out to those in need, every gesture of support makes a difference. Together, we can help bring healing and hope to our neighbors in Springfield.
Click Here to read the blog post from RAC that includes my speech from Sunday:
I have to admit when I saw the title “Stand Up for All People” in our newsletter, I hoped Temple Israel of Dayton would finally be voicing concern about the civilians of Gaza that have been so disproportionately killed and maimed (even offering ways to aid that population) while also still condemning Hamas and Oct 7, 2023. While I am glad there is blog post about the situation in Springfield, I was disappointed when I saw the entirety of the blog. Will there ever been public concern from Temple Israel of Dayton for “All People”?