Community Update: When the Conflict Comes Home

The past 11 days have taken a toll on all of us, as we worry for the safety of friends and loved ones, and mourn the loss of innocent life, Israeli and Palestinian alike. We hope the Egyptian-negotiated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds and will bring Israelis, Palestinians, and our Bay Area community a sigh of relief heading into Shabbat and the weekend.

However, we are deeply concerned about the lasting effects of the conflict on the Bay Area. Inflammatory content is being shared across social media, teenagers and college students are being barraged by peers and even trusted educators with negative messages about Israel, and BDS activists are attempting to push incendiary resolutions and sign-on letters. Meanwhile, media coverage amplifying the most divisive voices is erasing the critical Israeli-Palestinian cooperation and coexistence work that must be centered if we are ever to untangle this conflict.

After Tuesday’s attack on Jewish diners in Los Angeles, which came just months after the Capitol insurrection left us all feeling acutely vulnerable, Rabbis and community leaders are coming forward with renewed concerns for their communities’ safety.

Over the past 11 days, JCRC has worked diligently to address these issues, engaging allies in the political and civic arenas, calling on their leadership to promote peace and coexistence, to push back on one-sided, dehumanizing narratives, and to condemn the string of antisemitic attacks seen in recent weeks.

In light of these rapidly evolving developments, JCRC and ADL invite you to join us for Community Update: When the Conflict Comes Home, a joint zoom briefing on Thursday, May 27, at 5:00 pm. Come learn how, with antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment on the rise, the conflict is playing out across the Bay Area, and how the Jewish community can effectively respond in this moment.