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Lawmakers Meet With Woodbridge Community About Rise In Anti-Semitism

Lori Mack/WNPR
Senator Chirs Murphy and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro at Congregation B'nai Jacob

Jewish community centers in Connecticut and across the country have been the target of phoned-in bomb threats. In response, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro met with members of the Jewish community in Woodbridge, where they’ve received two threats -- the most recent about two weeks ago. 

Rabbis, community members, and students from Ezra Academy filled the library at Congregation B'nai Jacob. They came to ask questions and voice concerns about the recent rise in anti-Semitism.

Judy Alperin Diamondstein, CEO of the Jewish Federation and JCC of Greater New Haven, outlined future security measures, including bulletproof glass, for what she calls a new age and reality of terrorism.

But she also stressed the importance of education and support as she held up postcards they’d received from churches and kids around the country offering words of kindness.

"The bottom line is that even though there are people who seek to destroy and hate and disrupt that it’s really… it’s this," Diamondstein said. "It’s the love that’s gonna conquer all of that."

But Woodbridge resident Susan Stone wasn't convinced.

"You didn’t use the term white supremacist," said Stone. "Which is what this is. I understand that love is important. Love got the Jews nowhere during the Holocaust."

Credit Lori Mack/WNPR
Jewish community members in meeting with lawmakers

One eighth grader stood up to ask a direct question of Senator Chris Murphy.

“I’m just wondering what steps you will take about these threats to the Jewish Community Centers across America and in Connecticut and to our schools,” he said.

In response, Murphy turned the focus on the importance of young people getting involved.

"You have the ability with your friends to think about ways to try to promote tolerance, to try to push back against bias and if you do that, I’m going to tell you, you will change more minds than any of us would change," Murphy said. "They expect it from adults, but people often don’t expect you to be speaking out on moral issues. And when you do, boy, you can make a really big difference."

In addition to Woodbridge, the JCC in West Hartford received a bomb threat last month. Wednesday, the Anti-Defamation League’s national headquarters in New York received one.

Lori Connecticut Public's Morning Edition host.

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