From the President….
A Jewish Perspective
Martin Niemoller was a prominent Lutheran pastor who sympathized with Nazi ideals and radical right wing political movements. After Hitler came to power, he became a critic of Hitler’s interference in the church and was imprisoned in concentration camps from 1937 to 1945. Niemoller is most famous for his quote that begins, “First they came for…” and, “Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew and ends with, “Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Saturday, June 24 we all have a chance to speak up and speak out. You can choose to join us on our “float” (thank you, Melissa Bates) and either ride or walk in the parade and if that’s not possible, watch the parade and show you’ll be there to speak for any who are being denigrated, vilified, and maligned. This is what Jews do – we’re there to show that hate for any one group is hate for all.”
If it was only this easy that a simple parade could diminish hatred for those considered different. Just today there were reports of anti-semitism all over the country and a potential mass murderer whose plans to “shoot up” a synagogue today was foiled. It hasn’t been that long since the Tree of Life murders in Pittsburgh. These anti-semites also hate those who are queer, Muslim, Jewish and any other group that doesn’t fit their criteria as a valued human.
STAND UP WITH US ON THE 24TH AND LET IT BE KNOWN THAT AS JEWS, WE SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE TO LIVE FREELY, PRAY FREELY, AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN FREELY.
Susie Margolis Pierson
President, SYVJC
spierson@syvjc.org
