Elsewhere on this page, Hava Leipzig Holzhauer, the president and CEO of Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona, Greater Tucson's Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation, relates an act of antisemitism here in Tucson just a day after the horrific massacre at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.
She correctly and eloquently observes that the purpose of such an act of hatred locally is intimidation — to make local Jews and their friends retreat and become invisible.
She also outlined the prescription for our response: Clear, loud, unambiguous support for the Jewish community, and rejection of the attempted erasure.
We agree wholeheartedly, and it is with that whole heart that we wish to be the first to respond to her Guest Opinion. The Arizona Daily Star knows that Tucson will not abide acts of hatred and attempts to silence any group of our community. We reject both the message and the weak attempt to intimidate. We support our Jewish community and wish its members well as their holiday of lights comes to a close today.
There is much to be disturbed about in the news these days, including the repeated attempts to normalize voices of cowardly antisemitism like that of Nick Fuentes, who unfortunately seems to have found a haven within the nationalist wing of the MAGA movement, and entirely too much aid and comfort from high-profile figures.
We must reject his and others' attacks on the global Jewish community.
To be perfectly clear: Criticism of the government of Israel is not antisemitism. But at the same time, we can't let that criticism morph into acts or statements of prejudice against all Jews.
Here in Tucson, we need to stand up and be counted in our support of Tucson's Jewish community. Thank you, Hava, for reminding us of the value of doing so.
