Citizens united against hate on Sunday
VILLAGE OF FLORIDA – Hundreds of people – Jews and gentiles,
white, brown and black, gathered Sunday at the gates of the Temple Beth
Shalom Cemetery near Florida, New York to rise up against the anti-Semitic
graffiti spray painted on the stone wall one week ago.
A special prayer service was led by the synagogue’s Rabbi Rebecca Shinder.
“Today we gather in such great number to bear witness and stand together to say that hate is not welcome here,” Shinder told the hundreds who gathered.
Ted Tobias, who was born in Germany and immigrated to the US with his
parents in 1938, growing up in Goshen, remembers that his grandfather
in Germany saved a sacred Torah scroll that was thrown on the ground during
Kristallnacht
– the destruction of Jewish homes and businesses in Europe.
Tobias’ grandfather sent it to his parents when it was safe to do so.
“My parents had it repaired and it was grandfather, who later came to the USA, presented it to the Florida Jewish Congregation,” Tobias said. “This is the Torah you see here. We Jews have been called the people of the book. This is the book.”
Family members of loved ones buried in the cemetery took turns painting over the Nazi symbols as songs of prayer were chanted.
