Boycott S.F. Symphony
I will be boycotting the San Francisco Symphony as long as current management remains.
There were repeated loud disruptions of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance on March 23 at Davies Symphony Hall, and symphony leadership did nothing to stop these obscene disturbances. The disruptors had to be handled by audience members. (“During Israel Philharmonic concert in S.F., attendees wrangle anti-Israel protesters themselves,” March 24)
After the event, I emailed the symphony, which demurred in its response that “additional measures will be taken in the future.”
The inaction on the part of the symphony leadership to protect musicians and concertgoers demonstrates its conscious lack of preparation, abject cowardice and apparent sympathy with disruptors. I look forward to the current management’s replacement by one that will be appropriately responsible by placing critical security issues firmly at the forefront.
I have been attending the symphony for decades. I am its sought-after audience demographic. I know that I have choices regarding how to support local culture.
Actions must have consequences. Until there is a change in management, a symphony boycott is the appropriate consequence. I hope others agree and follow suit.
Jason Jungreis
San Francisco
Fear pervaded Davies hall
I have experienced protests in the past against Israel at performances of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. But the one that occurred on March 23 at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall was of an entirely different kind and level.
Upon reaching the entrance to Davis hall, it felt as though we needed to break through an intensely acrimonious picket line of anti-Israel protesters. The vitriol exceeded my expectations.
It is not an overstatement to say that there was an undercurrent of fear that pervaded the hall. Security inside the venue seemed woefully lacking.
The concert started with a deeply affecting version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” reflecting Israel’s enduring love for America. It continued with a version of Israel’s anthem, “Hatikvah,” that touched one’s heart and soul.
As “Hatikvah” was played, a couple displaying the Palestinian flag in the space between the orchestra and the first row of seats grew loud as they walked in front of the stage. They were removed, and the concert continued — and as it did when someone yelled that Israel was “murdering children” during a profoundly powerful performance of Max Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei.”
“Genocide” was shouted during the performance of Leonard Bernstein’s “Halil,” interrupting Guy Eshed’s captivating flute. After intermission, during Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 — the orchestra sounding brilliant — a person in a row above the stage shouted piercingly that the musicians were “cultural ambassadors for genocide.” That person was forcibly removed by other patrons.
The musicians continued to play ever so passionately and brilliantly. As an encore, with Israeli flags waving throughout the hall, the orchestra played with compassion “Hatikvah” once again — a plea for global peace.
Bruce Farrell Rosen
San Francisco
‘Testament to the power of art’
On March 23, the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra delivered breathtaking renditions of Tchaikovsky and traditional Jewish melodies. Inside, the audience stood firm in support, greeting the orchestra with a thunderous standing ovation.
Outside Davies Symphony Hall, protesters draped in Palestinian flags chanted, “Shame! How many kids did you kill today in Gaza?” But the disruptions didn’t stop at the doors. Several times, protesters shouted and attempted to halt the performance. Some were swiftly removed, yet others managed to regroup in different sections, resuming chants of “Killers! Killers!” Frustration rippled through the crowd. Audience members near the agitators had enough, turning to them and shouting, “Shut up or get out!”
Despite the interruptions, the musicians played on, refusing to let hostility silence them. Their unwavering commitment to the music only strengthened the audience’s resolve. When the final note rang out, the hall erupted into a 10-minute standing ovation, a testament to the power of art and resilience.
The energy was electric. Twice, the orchestra returned for encores, feeding off the raw emotion and unity in the room. What began as an evening marred by hostility was transformed into something greater — a defiant, proud moment of solidarity.
This is how Jews must stand when threatened or vilified — together, unshaken and proud. That night, I had never felt prouder of my people.
Lawrence Wanetick
Walnut Creek
Apology to protesters outside Davies
To the two Jewish women protesting Israel’s action in Gaza outside of the Israel Philharmonic Symphony on March 23:
I want to apologize to you. As I walked into the hall, I commented on your wearing masks because you were apparently unwilling to show your faces. In retrospect, I deeply regret making this comment.
While I disagree with your point of view, you have every right to peacefully make your views known in public spaces. If we Jews can’t allow each other to peacefully and lawfully express our different opinions, we need to consider our culpability in creating a culture of intolerance and self-righteousness. So please accept my apology.
Joan Levison
Mill Valley
‘Very fine people on both sides’
In the interest of accuracy and fairness, both of which your journal claims to support, you should clarify that President Donald Trump never said that the Charlottesville Nazis were fine people. (“Weaponization of antisemitism” letter to the editor, March 19)
The Snopes fact-checking site concluded from recorded transcripts that Trump was misquoted.
According to Snopes: “In a news conference after the rally protesting the planned removal of a Confederate statue, Trump did say there were ‘very fine people on both sides,’ referring to the protesters and the counterprotesters. He said in the same statement he wasn’t talking about neo-Nazis and white nationalists, who he said should be ‘condemned totally.’”
Marvin Engel
Oakland
Context about ‘Rachel’ at JFF
As someone who played a role at the screening of the film “Rachel” at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival in 2009, I would like to add an important piece of information that Deborah Kaufman left out of her March 21 op-ed “Attempts to censor films about Israel are nothing new — but they can be stopped.”
Much of the community uproar about the festival that year revolved not only around the film itself, but also that Cindy Corrie (Rachel Corrie’s mother) was invited to speak. She spoke not only at the film’s showing, but also at the festival’s opening-night gala. Speakers at film festivals are usually the directors. At that time, Cindy Corrie was touring the country raising funds for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which had recruited her daughter and other Westerners and put them in positions to serve as human shields for terror activities.
The film showing was indeed sold out. I’m sure that many people came to see what the controversy was about, given the volume of publicity about it in our community. But that afternoon at the Castro, it certainly appeared that much of the audience was there to support Cindy Corrie and the ISM.
Part of the fallout of this event was the development of funding guidelines in 2010 by the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. These guidelines, which have recently been updated at jewishfed.org/grant-guidelines, state (in part) that the “Federation will not fund organizations that, through their mission, activities, social media, or partnerships, advocate, endorse, or promote actions or policies that would undermine the legitimacy of Israel as a secure, independent, and democratic Jewish state, including through clear opposition to Zionism, the movement for Jewish self-determination in the historic homeland of Israel.”
This doesn’t prevent showing controversial films. It does prevent our community’s donations from being used to platform anti-Zionists and terror supporters.
Michael Harris
Bodega Bay
Khalil and the acts of an autocrat
The arrest and threatened deportation of Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a gross miscarriage of justice. What is even more alarming is the fact that President Donald Trump has applauded these actions and threatened many more such deportations. These are the acts of an autocrat.
Khalil hasn’t been convicted of any crime; he hasn’t been accused of a crime. He was lead negotiator for Columbia University students who protested the U.S. role in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and asked Columbia to cut ties to Israel. As a green card holder, Khalil had and still has the same free-speech protections as a citizen.
To deny Khalil his right to criticize the war is to take from him his First Amendment right of freedom of speech. This impairs our democracy. Further, in his social media post, Trump associated Khalil with “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American” activity. To associate his speech, falsely, with antisemitism is to dismiss the serious nature of what it means to be an antisemite. Antisemites use racist, intolerant language to justify taking away the rights that any decent society provides its members. That is exactly what is happening, now, to Khalil.
American Jews aren’t being protected by Trump, whose followers and enablers include many antisemites. As we know from history, antisemitic tropes can be a first step to the persecution, expulsion and slaughter of Jews.
What to make of Trump’s social media post that read “Shalom Mahmoud”? This appropriates the Hebrew word for “peace,” “hello” and “goodbye.” It is a snide comment, far below the dignity of a president. With this statement, Trump acts as if he can speak for American Jews as he tries to expel and torment Khalil. As American Jews, we assert that he does not and cannot speak for us.
Beverly R. Voloshin
Steven DeLue
Petaluma