Correspondence - #19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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To be clear, this is not a war Israel started nor wanted. Two things can be true: Our hearts break at the loss of innocent life in both Israel and Gaza, and the worsening humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. At the same time, we can hold Hamas accountable for their attack targeting men, women, children, and the killing, mutilation and kidnapping of babies, the elderly, the disabled on October 7, as well as for deliberately putting innocent Palestinians in harm's way in pursuit of their nefarious goals. The barbaric, antisemitic terrorist organization Hamas committed the most lethal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, brutally murdering more than 1,200 civilians, with more than 4,500 including men, women, and children injured. Hamas also kidnapped more than 200 men, women and children — including babies as young as 9-months-old and elderly Holocaust survivors — who were kidnapped and taken as hostages into Gaza by Hamas. These are mostly civilians. We mourn the devastation and tremendous loss of life in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians, including children, have been displaced, injured, or killed in the ensuing violence. This is a time when we should be calling out both antisemitism and anti -Muslim hate in our community, and recognize that many members of our community are deeply impacted by what is going on in Israel and in Gaza. Santa Ana City Council members should be seeking to bring us together and ensure that our community is welcoming and inclusive for people from all faiths, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. A resolution calling for a ceasefire that fails to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization or fails to call for the safe return of the hostages, does just the opposite. In fact, this type of resolution could actually promote hate against the Jewish people and further divide our community. We have seen time and time again that tensions in the Middle East can lead to an increase in antisemitic incidents, ranging from harassment to violence, targeting Jewish institutions and Jewish individuals in America. Jews across the US, and indeed, the world, are experiencing this now, even in our community. In addition, city councils should not be focusing on international matters. City councils should be focusing on matters that directly affect our city: safety and security, housing, food and job insecurity, schools, traffic issues. We urge you to reject this resolution and welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue with you further. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel Senior Rabbi Temple Beth Sholom of Orange County 12