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Dear John,
On October 27, 2018 when Robert Gregory Bowers entered the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, he had two goals in mind. The first was to kill Jews. The second was to intimidate and silence the Jewish community.
Tragically, he accomplished his first goal, murdering 11 congregants at prayer. But he failed entirely to achieve the second.
Because instead of cowering in fear, Jews and our allies showed up.
Using the AJC-initiated #ShowUpForShabbat hashtag on social media, tens of thousands of Jews and people of all faiths filled synagogues across America and around the world in the largest expression of public support for the American Jewish community in recorded history. More than 250 million people—including world leaders, elected officials, and celebrities—interacted with the hashtag on social media.
At the lowest moment in American Jewish history, we discovered that we were not alone.
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Yet as the one-year anniversary of Pittsburgh approaches, so much more needs to be done. 2019 has seen more antisemitic murders, a startling increase in antisemitism on social media, and even antisemitic sentiments at the highest levels of government.
So, on the weekend of October 25-26, we ask you to do three things:
- Show up for Shabbat, again. Attend Shabbat services at a local synagogue, invite your family and friends to join you, and share your plans on social media using the hashtag #ShowUpForShabbat. If you don’t usually attend services, visit AJC.org/ShowUpForShabbat for guidance on which area synagogues will be welcoming guests.
- Urge others to join you and help us grow this movement.
- Go to AJC.org/AddYourName and add your name in support of this initiative. Let the world know that you are not afraid.
Together, we can turn a global campaign of solidarity into a powerful force against hate.
We’re asking you to join us. Will you show up?
Daniel Elbaum
AJC Chief Advocacy Officer |
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