Antisemitism on LBI

Aug 24

I have often referred to LBI as living in paradise. What’s not to love? The boulevard, notwithstanding, of course, but other than drivers that are either too aggressive or driving too slowly, LBI is a wonderful place. It has been my experience that folks leave their troubles on the other side of the bridge, and we get to relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. The family-oriented nature of our communities also allows us to know that we are safe and that we are in this together.

This week I received an email from Rabbi Michael Jay that seemingly cast us out of Eden once again.

In the email he wrote, “I am saddened to report an incident, actually two, that occurred at the Dog Day Race in Harvey Cedars this past Sunday. The target of both was the grandson of one of my congregants, and to make the issue worse, the target was a 13-year-old boy.”

“The child, who wore a Kippah (head covering), was a participant and stopped running mid-race. When he stopped, a group of boys, whom he described as in their 20's shouted at him, "You dirty Jews have enough money that you should be able to recover from that." He, wisely in my estimation, chose not to respond.”

“As if that were not enough, while he was walking back to the family home with his mother, and still wearing his kippah, a woman in a car yelled out her window as she was passing them: "Go back to New York. We don't want you here!"

When I read Rabbi Michael’s email my heart sank. We know that that sort of hatred and evil exists in our world, but it is very different when it hits so close to home. In my email response to Rabbi Michael, I asked him to please relay to the young boy and his family that I cannot speak for all Catholics but please assure them that, as the Catholic community on LBI, they have our utmost support.

Rabbi Michael also wrote that the Chief of the Harvey Cedars Fire Department “spoke at length with the family and expressed his deep disappointment that they had experienced this.” We join in Rabbi Michael’s gratitude to God for all of our first responders.

I hope you join me in my indignation that this happened at all. This hatred and evil can never be accepted especially when directed toward a child.

Rabbi Michael concluded his email saying, “I fear that this will not be the last such incident, and I am concerned that, if left unchecked, it will lead to an expansion of unsavory behavior.”
We know that Jesus calls us to “turn the other cheek.”
[Matthew 5:39] Despite what we may think or feel there is no compromise on that. We must learn to address these evils in ways that bring us closer to returning to Eden.

I ask you to please join me in prayer to end this bigotry and prejudice and by the lives we live to join in the commitment to work against all such evil that leads to hatred and division.

May God grant us the wisdom, courage, and strength to build a better world that knows no such evil.