LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Temple Isaiah hosts JCRC 'Here I Am' initiative to unite against antisemitism


Numerous officials gather on Aug. 25 at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette for JCRC initiative. Photo provided

Following a growing trend nationwide of antisemitism attacks by swatting, hate speech, and hate crimes to members within this marginalized community, Temple Isaiah on Aug. 25 hosted the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) "Here I Am: Communities United Against Antisemitism" initiative to unite against antisemitism. The conference included numerous Contra Costa County and California elected officials, including U.S. Representative Mark DeSaulnier, State Senator Steve Glazer, Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Assembly member Tim Grayson, Walnut Creek Council member Kevin Wilk, El Cerrito Mayor Pro Tem Tessa Rudnick, Hercules Mayor Alex Walker-Griffin, and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton.

Community leaders, including Temple Isaiah's Senior Rabbi Jill Perlman, Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church Rev. Jaime Polson, and JCRC Bay Area CEO Tyler Gregory spoke in response to the growing antisemitic hate crimes in California, and highlighted that all members of the convening were providing a demonstration of solidarity and support of the Jewish community.

"Today's gathering is all about us proclaiming "Here I am" as we acknowledge the deep pain of antisemitism in our midst," Perlman said. "We are bound together; each one of us, as human beings, to create the world that we all deserve. A world where folks of all heritages, all ethnicities, all religions, can show up exactly as who we are without fear of bias and discrimination. We stand here today with one foot in the world as it is and one in the world as it should be. Bridging the gap with our witness, accountability, and love."

For more information about JCRC's "Here I Am: Communities United Against Antisemitism" please visit their website at JCRC.org/blog/here-i-am

To watch the conference through the recorded livestream, visit: https://youtube.com/live/iyXKb5DfK24?feature=share