Dear Seattle Community,

Our sadness and pain are overwhelming. For the second time in less than three weeks, Jews have been attacked in the United States. The violence in Boulder on Sunday, at a peaceful walk to remember the remaining hostages in Gaza, is unthinkable. A dozen were injured, some critically, including a Holocaust survivor.

The Molotov cocktails thrown by the attacker were hurled in Boulder, but the flames of fear they ignited burn across Jewish communities everywhere. For nearly 20 months, Seattle “Run for Their Lives” organizers have brought community members together for gatherings just like the one in Boulder. I’ve spoken at several. Sunday’s attack could have happened to any of us in any Jewish community in America.

Though we are a diverse Jewish community that holds varied and complex connections with Israel, hopefully, we can all agree that regardless of your views, no Jew should be attacked or held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. And yet, anti-Jewish violence and harm are, unthinkably, becoming our norm. In a strong op-ed in today’s New York Times, Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) wrote:

“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.”

In addition to external threats, there are forces that seek to pit the safety of the Jewish community against the safety of other marginalized groups. These forces make no distinction between Jews based on their relationship with Israel. Katz further writes in her piece:

“Our position on this war, or on Israel, does not affect how extremists perceive us. To them, we are all Jews, and that alone makes us targets for hate and violence.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle will keep striving for Jewish safety and inclusion. Through SAFE Washington, we lead proactive, accessible safety and security support for Jewish institutions and maintain strong and productive relationships with law enforcement. Through our Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), we advocate for public funding for safety and security grants, provide antisemitism education and training to non-Jewish leaders, build bridges with leaders in other faith, ethnic, and minority groups, and we work with elected officials at every level to ensure they support, speak out, and stand up for Jewish safety and inclusion.

This violence in Boulder was perpetrated just hours before Shavuot, where we celebrate the receiving of the Torah. Midrash teaches that when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai, all of the Jewish people were present—those who had experienced the Exodus from Egypt standing in the desert, as well as every generation of Jews to come after them, including our generation. As a people, we were able to stand together and receive the Torah as one, despite our differences.

Now is the time to show who Jews are and what Jews stand for. To demonstrate that Jews will not isolate ourselves in fear, and that we will stand together as we did at Mount Sinai. Now is the time to come together as a people to be openly and proudly Jewish. Go to a Shabbat dinner. Show up at services. Reach out to a Jewish friend or neighbor or colleague, even one who might have differing beliefs, extend a hand or a hug, and check in on them.

Join the Seattle Chapter of “Run for Their Lives” this Sunday at The Lid Park on Mercer Island at 12pm to remember the hostages still in Gaza, to stand in solidarity with Jews in Boulder, and to be in community. For safety, this gathering is being coordinated with local law enforcement.

Join me in praying for a refuah shleima — a complete healing — for those directly affected in Boulder, and for safer days ahead for Jewish communities everywhere.

L’shalom,