This communication is sent as part of the ongoing efforts of the Temple Beth Sholom Kulanu Task Force to inform congregants of what the Task Force is doing to address the rising antisemitism in our community and country.
In early December of last year, no TBS Congregants and few Jews were present when Rabbi Sobel spoke at a Santa Ana City Council meeting against a proposed Gaza cease-fire resolution (which did not pass). Since that time, TBS formed its Kulanu Task Force aimed at fighting antisemitism. One of the first initiatives launched by our Kulanu Task Force, with Rabbi Sobel’s strong leadership, was to galvanize congregants and others to go to the Santa Ana City Council meeting on March 5, to oppose a new proposed cease-fire resolution. This time three council members were dedicated to adopt the new resolution and needed only one more vote to do so. Mayor Amezcua, who is a strong supporter of both the Jewish community and Israel (and is against racism of any kind) has vocally opposed the City Council’s proposed adoption of a Gaza cease fire resolution. As a result of this (and other political agendas of her opponents) she has been subjected to constant harassment and personal threats by a very vocal and aggressive Pro-Palestinian contingent. One major reason for going to the Council meeting was to show support for Mayor Amezcua, who has been a profile in courage, notwithstanding the personal and political risks. Another reason was to simply not be silent in the face of rising antisemitism, but to speak our truth to power as proud Jews.
To those who do not already know, the Santa Ana cease fire resolution is part of a nationwide effort by pro-Palestinian forces, and is designed as the first step towards getting public agencies throughout the country to ultimately adopt BDS policies (boycott of products having anything to do with Israel, divestment of public and private investment in Israel and Israel based enterprises, and sanction of Israel by other governments with the aim of delegitimizing Israel). This is apparent from reading “toolkits” used by the proponents of such resolutions, which spell out this strategy (an example that spells this out is the toolkit we have obtained put out by Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)). The end game of proponents of such resolutions, therefore, is really not to bring about a cease-fire, but to promote antisemitism, anti-Israel sentiment, and to create an atmosphere for further steps to delegitimize and harm Israel, while also castigating the Jewish community in the United States. Because of this, proponents, if necessary, will accept weaker, seemingly balanced resolutions, as long as the adopted resolution calls for a permanent cease fire in Gaza.
In Santa Ana, proponents of the Gaza cease fire resolution also have another hidden agenda. They are seeking to undermine and throw Mayor Amezcua and Congressman Lou Correa (who has similarly supported the Jewish community and opposed all forms of racism) out of office.
Unlike December, when no one from TBS stood with Rabbi Sobel in opposing the earlier resolution, there were at least 15 TBS congregants at the Council meeting, most of whom took the podium and spoke against the resolution. At least 7 other congregants attended via zoom. These participants were prepared through a TBS zoom session organized and led by Rabbi Sobel on March 4, attended by at least 33 people. Many other Jewish and some non-Jewish opponents of the resolution also showed up at the City Council meeting. Special thanks go to Erik Ludwig (CEO of the Jewish Federation of Orange County), Rabbi Gersh Zylberman (Senior Rabbi of Temple Bat Yahm who lives in Santa Ana), Rabbi David Eliezrie (North County Chabad Center and President of the Rabbinical Council of OC), Rabbi Peter Levy (Regional Director for OC and Long Beach of the ADL), Inbal Greenberg (Director of the IAC of Orange County), Rabbi Rayna Gevurtz ,Carol Lean, Ilana Meirovitch, and Robin Gurien.
Most of the TBS congregants arrived at the Council Chambers close to 4 p.m. (when the que opened to register as a speaker) and did not leave until close to 10:30 pm. Ultimately, a form of cease-fire resolution passed, but not until the Council member who agendized the resolution was compelled to accept numerous changes, substantially changing the tenor of the resolution. These changes included, among many other things, that the cease-fire be “bilateral” and that it include Hamas’ recognition of Israel’s right to exist and Israel’s right to protect its security. The resolution, which originally did not even mention Hamas, ended up referencing “the rape, torture, and death of over 1,200 Israelis and the capture of over 240 hostages, including United States citizens, children, and the elderly, by Hamas”. Yet it still was not an empty victory for the pro-Palestinian faction. They will add Santa Ana to the list of cities and other government agencies that have adopted cease fire resolutions, move towards the next step in their insidious “tool kit” strategy and continue to harass and undermine Mayor Amezcua and Congressman Correa.
Well over half of the audience were vocal Pro-Palestinian proponents of the cease-fire resolution. After Sydell Walencewicz introduced herself as a U.S. military veteran and spoke against the resolution, she was insulted and falsely accused of striking a cease-fire proponent with her cane. The Mayor authorized a police escort for many of us who had waited until the meeting ended. The police took us down the handicapped walking ramp in order to bypass the raucous pro-Palestinian crowd of hecklers gathered at the bottom of the stairway. They yelled “cowards” at us as we bypassed them with the police escort, and then launched into choruses of “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free.”
Notwithstanding the adoption of the resolution, there were a lot of positives, even beyond the many amendments to the resolution, not the least of which was the galvanization of many Jews to action against antisemitism. Kulanu means “all of us”. We are only just beginning. There is much work to do and the fight against antisemitism must continue. We must learn from March 5, that we are stronger when we stand together.
- TBS Kulanu Task Force
_____________________________________________________________________
