Originally published in the March 22, 2021 issue.
A conversation with the ADL and former mayor of Charlottesville
Thursday, April 1, 7:30 pm, Temple Israel’s First Thursday, Zoom, free
Batya Glazer
Doron Ezickson, Anti-Defamation League’s Mid-Atlantic/Midwest division’s vice president, and Michael Signer, former mayor of Charlottesville and author of Cry Havoc: Charlottesville and American Democracy Under Siege will speak with Joel Rubin for Temple Israel’s First Thursday program. United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Jewish Community Relations Council is partnering with Temple Israel on this event.
The invasion of Charlottesville by white nationalist militias during August 11–12, 2017, and the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, mark turning points in America’s history and is part of the rise in hate groups, white supremacy, and anti-Semitism across the nation. The rise of anti-Semitic attacks has been significant. The mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on October 27, 2018, the shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City on December 10, 2019, and the Saturday night Hanukkah attack at the home of a Hasidic rabbi in Monsey, New York on December 28, 2019 are examples of incidents that have heightened the focus on safety and security.
Since 1913, ADL’s mission has been to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all.” Dedicated to combating anti-Semitism, prejudice, and bigotry of all kinds, as well as defending democratic ideals and promoting civil rights, ADL is recognized as a leading resource on effective responses to violent bigotry, conducting an annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents and drafting model hate crime statutes for state legislatures. ADL is also a leading provider of anti-bias education and bullying prevention programs in K-12 schools and on college campuses. The ADL has worked closely with the JCRC on a number of programs, including a partnership with Norfolk Public Schools to roll out ADL’s No Place for Hate program, facilitate their Words To Action workshop with students and parents, and regular speaking engagements. ADL also works with the JCRC on important legislative initiatives.
Join the JCRC and Temple Israel, along with the ADL and Mike Signer, to better understand these events and how they are part of a wider context.
Pre-registration is required. To RSVP, visit JewishVA.org or contact Batya Glazer, director, UJFT JCRC, at bglazer@ujft.org.