This post is sponsored by Jewish Silicon Valley.
“When the cost of protection makes it harder and harder to balance one’s organizational budget the quiet erosion of our culture begins. It isn’t just a headline. This is modern antisemitism.”
— Daniel Klein, Chief Executive Officer, Jewish Silicon Valley
Modern Antisemitism is Hiding in Plain Sight.
According to the ADL, Antisemitic incidents in California schools are up by more than 430% over the past five years, and according to the most recent FBI report, 70% of all faith-based hate crimes were committed against the Jewish community, while representing around only 2% of the population.
“Just this past year, two members of our community were brutally beaten at Santana Row, a “human swastika” was formed by students on a San Jose high school football field, genocidal threats were directed at Jewish students and faculty at SJSU, and an attempted mass casualty event targeting Jewish preschoolers in Detroit,” said Klein. “Security costs for our community have gone up 200%. When it becomes too expensive to be Jewish, that is an intended outcome of modern antisemitism.”
According to Klein, without these additional security measures in place, the Jewish community doesn’t always feel safe to show up and share in the important moments of Jewish education, community, and connection — all the things they have every right to enjoy.
What is at stake if we don’t act?
Less than 24 hours after the war began in Iran, Jewish Silicon Valley opened the doors at APJCC Los Gatos to over 200 Hebrew, Russian and English-speaking Jewish teens and their friends to join in a fun evening of dancing and games at our Middle School Teen Dance Party. The event was preplanned, but the news rightfully rattled many in our community.
Thanks to our close connections with local law enforcement, proactive security protocols, and investments in security, Jewish Silicon Valley was able to quickly react and support the needs of our community.
However, many organizations we work with through our Community Allocations and Partnerships cannot.
“Just after the San Jose attack on two Israeli Americans, we connected with a handful of our partner organizations and discussed security needs and concerns. While we are happy to provide guidance and allocate funds through our Community Grants — we can only offer what has been made available to us through donations,” said Klein. “Sitting on the sidelines is not an option. We know what needs to be done. The question is, will the community respond in a way that allows Jewish communities to not only survive, but thrive.”
Investment in Joy is a solution.
“This is what’s at stake. If people are comfortable with organizations getting priced out of existence, the shrinking of Jewish continuity, and Jewish joy, then there is nothing to do,” said Klein. “If we are not comfortable with modern antisemitism, we have solutions.”
Maintaining safe spaces on our own APJCC Los Gatos Campus, and for our Jewish community partners is what we are called to do and it is a critical part of our work. We need to increase funding on security and Jewish joy, support Jewish Silicon Valley and/or your top Jewish organization to strengthen and grow our Jewish ecosystem in Silicon Valley.
Visit www.jvalley.org/ModernAntisemitism to learn more.