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Last weekend members of a neo-Nazi, pro-fascist group marched and held a rally in Kansas City. Although this group seeks to present itself as mainstream patriots, it got its start in the deadly Charlottesville rally, where participants chanted, “the Jews will not replace us.” Fascism has no place in America and patriotism should never be co-opted for hate. Educate yourself using trusted sources about extremist groups operating in America. You can’t fight what you don’t recognize. https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files

We condemn the use of the Nazi salute, sometimes referred to as a Roman salute, in any context. It was adopted by 20th century fascists in Germany, Italy, and Spain.  As the most common white supremacist hand signal in the world, it serves as a call to action for those who support racism, antisemitism, and the authoritarian use of power. Twice in the space of a month, we witnessed the use of this salute on a major American political stage. We must accurately name these actions and refuse to allow fascist gestures and symbols to become the norm.

We are alarmed by the recent announcement by the Defense Intelligence Agency that it will pause all activities and events related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day and other "special observances" to comply with the President’s executive order. The nation that defeated Nazi Germany cannot now prohibit the observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Remembering those murdered by the Nazi government and their collaborators is not a political action - it is duty. The history of the Holocaust reminds us of our obligation to protect minority rights and to speak out…

Under heavily armed guard on the so-called Day of Rage, October 13, 2023, we attended Shabbat dinner in Prague where we marked the first sabbath since 10/7 with people from across the world – predominantly but not exclusively Jewish people from the Czech Republic, Israel, Yemen and the United States. In the midst of singing and celebration we acknowledged the tragedy that had occurred just days earlier and, for our local group – 22 people, including several family members of survivors traveling through central Europe to visit Holocaust sites and sites of Jewish memory – there was a profound sense…

Calls for the genocide of Jewish people or any group is indefensible. Freedom of speech is a fundamental American right that is essential to our democracy. However, civil discourse does not include hate speech. Inaction in the face of hate speech is not acceptable.

As we continue to watch the conflict in Israel unfold and consider the consequences of murderous antisemitism on that community and the impact on Jewish communities worldwide, we share with you the profound words of these Holocaust survivors as they reflect on what this means to them as they look back across their lives. We stand in solidarity with those who were impacted by this attack. We continue to condemn antisemitism and hate in all its forms. And each day we continue to do this work that builds knowledge, understanding, and empathy to help bridge the deep divides in the…

Holocaust revisionism, distortion, and denial are antisemitism. We join the many individuals, organizations, and governments around the world who condemn the statements by President Abbas. It is incumbent on each of us to remain informed and to condemn antisemitism in all its forms wherever we encounter it. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-66741336

BBYO Chapter named in honor of Ralph Berets - https://tjpnews.com/bbyo-is-back-in-tarrant-county-with-ralph-berets-chapter/ https://tjpnews.com/bbyo-is-back-in-tarrant-county-with-ralph-berets-chapter/

It can be tempting to see antisemitism as only coming from fringe elements or something happening somewhere else, but not in our own community. Every time antisemitic statements occur – especially online where they can be amplified by anonymous affirmation – it moves society closer to normalizing this hatred and making it an acceptable part of our social discourse, which it is not. This is not a distant phenomenon, but something we need to be vigilant about addressing in our own community. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article278568509.html