An anti-Semitic attack that took place at a rabbi鈥檚 home in New York in the final days of Hanukkah has reverberated around Jewish communities, including in southern Oregon.
Saturday鈥檚 knife attack at a Hasidic rabbi鈥檚 home in Monsey, New York left five people injured. The incident happened far from Havurah Shir Hadash, a progressive 鈥淛ewish renewal community鈥� in Ashland, but it鈥檚 a reminder of the growth in anti-Semitic acts around the country in recent years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a shock but it鈥檚 not surprising,鈥� says Rabbi David Zaslow.
Havurah Shir Hadash is one southern Oregon synagogue where leaders have increased security in recent years, Zaslow says. Their precautions have included hosting active shooter trainings and adding camera systems and armed guards.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in Ashland for almost 50 years 鈥� 49 years now 鈥� and I would never, never, never have imagined the need for armed security guards at a Jewish religious service here in southern Oregon,鈥� Zaslow says.
In 2018, 57.8% of hate crimes 鈥渕otivated by religious bias鈥� across the country were anti-Jewish, according to the FBI鈥檚 . Hate crimes towards followers of Islam were the next highest at 14.5%. The Anti-Defamation League of anti-Semitic harassment and vandalism in southern Oregon last year.
Rabbi Avi Zwiebel represents the Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Oregon. Zwiebel has not witnessed increases in anti-Semitism himself but says a national rise in hate crimes has caused their synagogue to take security measures seriously.
鈥淚t鈥檚 no more a luxury, it鈥檚 a necessity, unfortunately.鈥�
However, he says, members should respond to the New York attack not by hiding their religion but by being proud of it.
鈥淥bviously we have to take the protocols to ensure the proper security but it鈥檚 not about being cowards and hiding our Jewishness,鈥� Zwiebel says. 鈥淥n the contrary, like the Hanukkah story, [it鈥檚 about] being a light and sharing those values of light with others to counteract the darkness.鈥�
