Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is Colorado's Morning News. Anti Semitism has been on
the rise globally and locally, heightened concerns and fears for
Jewish people regarding their safety after last week's attack on
a march supporting hostages held in Gaza. However, the Jewish
festival in Boulder did take place yesterday. Joining us now
in the KA Common Spirit Health Hotline, Rabbi Jonah Dav
Peshner with the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi, thanks for
(00:21):
joining us this morning here on Colorado's Morning News. Before
we talk in some greater detail. Anti Semitism is never
necessarily or hasn't gone away, but it seems to similar
to the surface every so often. Can you explain why
that is the case? Is it because of heightened situations
in places like Gazo or is there something else going
on that we don't see that you sense of being
(00:43):
somebody who's a leader in that community.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Well, first of all, Marty, thank you so much for
telling the story of what's happening, not just in Boulder,
and I'm so glad that our bolder Jewish family joined
again to run for their lives. Yesterday, I too joined
here in Washington, DC, with a local chapter sending a
message of solidarity. We Jews are used to three thousand
years of anti Jewish hatred and anti Semitism, and when
(01:09):
they attack us, when they target us, we run on,
We pray on, we celebrate, we dance, we sing, and
we say no in the face of hate. We say
love in the face of hate. So thank you for
telling the stories. You know. I think anti Semitism is
often the hatred of Jews is often called the world's
oldest form of hate. My own grandma Fannie, used to
(01:30):
tell me the story about when she was in the
Old Country in Russia. Her father, my great grandpa, who
I never knew, had to dig a hole under the
floorboards of her house so that she would have a
place to hide when the Russian Cossacks would come through
to rape the girls and kidnap the boys for the army.
Her own rabbi was tied by his beard behind a
horse and dragged to his death. So I love being
(01:53):
an American. America has been a place where Jews have
thrived and have found safety. My grandma came here when
she was sixteen with nothing as a refugee because she
understood the possibility of American democracy to keep Jews safe.
And you know, you asked the question of you know,
why these instances of anti Semitism spike. We saw, you know,
(02:14):
just a few years ago anti semitism coming from one
direction with you know, the chanting of Jews will not
replace us by white supremacist bigots, and then the Tree
of Life massacre, where a shooter was targeting Jews at
worship in a synagogue because they were in solidarity with
refugees and migrants. Now we're seeing it coming from a
very different sector, those people who are aligned with Hamas,
(02:37):
a genocidal theocratic cult that massacred Jewish people and Christian
people and Muslim people on October seventh. And then you know,
this person acting like a Hamas terrorist throwing a firebomb
into a crowd of peaceful Jewish marchers who were simply
trying to bring about an end to the hostage crisis.
We still have fifty five hostages being held in the
(02:59):
dungeons of Gaza, and one of them was a Holocaust survivor. So,
you know, Marty, thanks for asking the question. It's obviously
very complicated and we see it all over the place,
but people like you are telling the story and we
appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Well, and those are kind words. And what we try
to tell the story too is and there's no nuance
with anti Semitism. But there this is where sometimes it
gets a little complicated and in the weeds, not by some.
Some have a clear vision and understand that you can
have honest disagreements about policy. But I'll ask you, Rabbi,
where where is that line to where you can actually
(03:33):
disagree if you want to say, with Israeli policy Benjamin
Nett and Johan what they're doing and maybe have handling
things in Gaza, where does that cross the line into
anti Semitism? And is there an ability to have a
critical eye towards maybe some of the things that's going
on or Israeli is doing in a sense of working
in the war and trying to find peace there, but
not going over to that other side where it's like
(03:53):
where you're trying to eradicate a whole people.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Because of that, absolutely, I'm so glad you asked for
that clarification, because there's a wonder meme going out around
the internet which says criticizing the Netsan Yahou government or
the governing policies of israel Is not anti semicism. Just
ask half of Israelis who do it all the time,
Ask me, I do it all the time. I'll go
on record and say that Prime Minister Netsi Yahu and
(04:17):
his racist coalition has effectuated this war in a way
that has not only not kept our hostages safe or
brought about the possibility of them coming home, but has
also led to countless innocent lives being lost. What we're
seeing in Gaz is the humanitarian catastrophe. We need this
war to end. We need the hostagist to come home,
we need humanitarian aid to be restored, and we need
(04:37):
Palestinian national aspiration so that you'll have two peoples Israeli
and Palestinian living side by side in peace. Where the
line gets crossed is when somebody yells free Palestine, kill
all the Zionists and throws a Molotov cocktail into a
crowd of Holocaust survivors. That's the obvious kind of black
and white. What I think people misunderstand is the way
(04:59):
in which some of the peaceful protests, and I'll say this,
my grandma Fanny didn't come to this country because she
wanted another authoritarian regime like the Czar. We believe in
freedom of speech. We believe in due process according to
the law. We believe in the right of people to
assemble and make their views heard full stop. That's what
keeps you safe. And at the same time, when protesters
(05:20):
say things like from the River to the sea or
globalize the Antifada, the uprising, they need to understand the
downstream consequences of that that there will be bad actors
who hear that as a call to violence. So we
have to be very thoughtful and careful about what and
how we say what we say.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Well, you get to the point I wish I had
another twenty minutes to talk with you about this, But
that also gets the point that, at least I see
from my purchase, there's a real lack of understanding of history.
You mentioned this goes back three thousand years and some
people are new to this and they' don't understand what
from the River to the Sea means and some of
the other chants that are going on. Is there a
lack of history being taught at a certain level, whether
(05:59):
in education in high school, college, about what those things
really need and how complex and complicated that conflict is.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Absolutely and too often these histories are taught with an
ideological frame rather than historic rigor and accuracy. And we
need people to understand the three thousand year history of
the Jewish people in the land in Israel and our
relationship to it, and the geopolitical realities of the last
one hundred and fifty years, to understand Palestinian claims on
the land and sort their way through it. I will
(06:27):
say part of the challenge we have as Jews in
helping people understand ant Semitism. It's shocking when you look
at the data of the way high school and college
students have no historical analysis or understanding of the Holocaust,
the hatred of Jews, of the history of the Jewish people.
So part of it is on us. We're part of
campaigns to bring more Holocaust education to state in local curricula,
(06:51):
to do more teaching about our history as a people
in this wonderful country we call home. And I think
if we could just raise more awareness and do better education,
it would go a long way.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Personal question, as you wrap up with you, Rabbi, do
you still feel safe? Do you catch yourself sometimes looking
over your shoulder, being a little suspect sometimes in situations
and environments that you're in.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
You know, in nineteen ninety five, I survived a bus
bombing in Jerusalem that was perpetrated by Hamas terrorists. That
day taught me that number one, I couldn't lose my humanity.
I would never let Hamas steal my humanity, which is
why I have worked as a peace builder and a
bridge builder between Palestinians and Israelis, between Jewish, Muslim and
Christian groups to try and lean into the possibility of
(07:32):
the beloved and loving community. And it also taught me
no matter what three thousand years of Jewish life, no
matter what they do to us, we have hatikva, the hope.
We will live, we will thrive on Ysrael Hai the
Jewish People Endoors Union.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
For Reform Judaism. It's Rabbi Jonah Dove Pesterner. Rabbi, thank
you so much for your time. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Marti, thank you
It is Colorado's Morning News. Anti Semitism has been on
the rise globally and locally, heightened concerns and fears for
Jewish people regarding their safety after last week's attack on
a march supporting hostages held in Gaza. However, the Jewish
festival in Boulder did take place yesterday. Joining us now
in the KA Common Spirit Health Hotline, Rabbi Jonah Dav
Peshner with the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi, thanks for
(00:21):
joining us this morning here on Colorado's Morning News. Before
we talk in some greater detail. Anti Semitism is never
necessarily or hasn't gone away, but it seems to similar
to the surface every so often. Can you explain why
that is the case? Is it because of heightened situations
in places like Gazo or is there something else going
on that we don't see that you sense of being
(00:43):
somebody who's a leader in that community.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Well, first of all, Marty, thank you so much for
telling the story of what's happening, not just in Boulder,
and I'm so glad that our bolder Jewish family joined
again to run for their lives. Yesterday, I too joined
here in Washington, DC, with a local chapter sending a
message of solidarity. We Jews are used to three thousand
years of anti Jewish hatred and anti Semitism, and when
(01:09):
they attack us, when they target us, we run on,
We pray on, we celebrate, we dance, we sing, and
we say no in the face of hate. We say
love in the face of hate. So thank you for
telling the stories. You know. I think anti Semitism is
often the hatred of Jews is often called the world's
oldest form of hate. My own grandma Fannie, used to
(01:30):
tell me the story about when she was in the
Old Country in Russia. Her father, my great grandpa, who
I never knew, had to dig a hole under the
floorboards of her house so that she would have a
place to hide when the Russian Cossacks would come through
to rape the girls and kidnap the boys for the army.
Her own rabbi was tied by his beard behind a
horse and dragged to his death. So I love being
(01:53):
an American. America has been a place where Jews have
thrived and have found safety. My grandma came here when
she was sixteen with nothing as a refugee because she
understood the possibility of American democracy to keep Jews safe.
And you know, you asked the question of you know,
why these instances of anti Semitism spike. We saw, you know,
(02:14):
just a few years ago anti semitism coming from one
direction with you know, the chanting of Jews will not
replace us by white supremacist bigots, and then the Tree
of Life massacre, where a shooter was targeting Jews at
worship in a synagogue because they were in solidarity with
refugees and migrants. Now we're seeing it coming from a
very different sector, those people who are aligned with Hamas,
(02:37):
a genocidal theocratic cult that massacred Jewish people and Christian
people and Muslim people on October seventh. And then you know,
this person acting like a Hamas terrorist throwing a firebomb
into a crowd of peaceful Jewish marchers who were simply
trying to bring about an end to the hostage crisis.
We still have fifty five hostages being held in the
(02:59):
dungeons of Gaza, and one of them was a Holocaust survivor. So,
you know, Marty, thanks for asking the question. It's obviously
very complicated and we see it all over the place,
but people like you are telling the story and we
appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Well, and those are kind words. And what we try
to tell the story too is and there's no nuance
with anti Semitism. But there this is where sometimes it
gets a little complicated and in the weeds, not by some.
Some have a clear vision and understand that you can
have honest disagreements about policy. But I'll ask you, Rabbi,
where where is that line to where you can actually
(03:33):
disagree if you want to say, with Israeli policy Benjamin
Nett and Johan what they're doing and maybe have handling
things in Gaza, where does that cross the line into
anti Semitism? And is there an ability to have a
critical eye towards maybe some of the things that's going
on or Israeli is doing in a sense of working
in the war and trying to find peace there, but
not going over to that other side where it's like
(03:53):
where you're trying to eradicate a whole people.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Because of that, absolutely, I'm so glad you asked for
that clarification, because there's a wonder meme going out around
the internet which says criticizing the Netsan Yahou government or
the governing policies of israel Is not anti semicism. Just
ask half of Israelis who do it all the time,
Ask me, I do it all the time. I'll go
on record and say that Prime Minister Netsi Yahu and
(04:17):
his racist coalition has effectuated this war in a way
that has not only not kept our hostages safe or
brought about the possibility of them coming home, but has
also led to countless innocent lives being lost. What we're
seeing in Gaz is the humanitarian catastrophe. We need this
war to end. We need the hostagist to come home,
we need humanitarian aid to be restored, and we need
(04:37):
Palestinian national aspiration so that you'll have two peoples Israeli
and Palestinian living side by side in peace. Where the
line gets crossed is when somebody yells free Palestine, kill
all the Zionists and throws a Molotov cocktail into a
crowd of Holocaust survivors. That's the obvious kind of black
and white. What I think people misunderstand is the way
(04:59):
in which some of the peaceful protests, and I'll say this,
my grandma Fanny didn't come to this country because she
wanted another authoritarian regime like the Czar. We believe in
freedom of speech. We believe in due process according to
the law. We believe in the right of people to
assemble and make their views heard full stop. That's what
keeps you safe. And at the same time, when protesters
(05:20):
say things like from the River to the sea or
globalize the Antifada, the uprising, they need to understand the
downstream consequences of that that there will be bad actors
who hear that as a call to violence. So we
have to be very thoughtful and careful about what and
how we say what we say.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Well, you get to the point I wish I had
another twenty minutes to talk with you about this, But
that also gets the point that, at least I see
from my purchase, there's a real lack of understanding of history.
You mentioned this goes back three thousand years and some
people are new to this and they' don't understand what
from the River to the Sea means and some of
the other chants that are going on. Is there a
lack of history being taught at a certain level, whether
(05:59):
in education in high school, college, about what those things
really need and how complex and complicated that conflict is.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Absolutely and too often these histories are taught with an
ideological frame rather than historic rigor and accuracy. And we
need people to understand the three thousand year history of
the Jewish people in the land in Israel and our
relationship to it, and the geopolitical realities of the last
one hundred and fifty years, to understand Palestinian claims on
the land and sort their way through it. I will
(06:27):
say part of the challenge we have as Jews in
helping people understand ant Semitism. It's shocking when you look
at the data of the way high school and college
students have no historical analysis or understanding of the Holocaust,
the hatred of Jews, of the history of the Jewish people.
So part of it is on us. We're part of
campaigns to bring more Holocaust education to state in local curricula,
(06:51):
to do more teaching about our history as a people
in this wonderful country we call home. And I think
if we could just raise more awareness and do better education,
it would go a long way.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Personal question, as you wrap up with you, Rabbi, do
you still feel safe? Do you catch yourself sometimes looking
over your shoulder, being a little suspect sometimes in situations
and environments that you're in.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
You know, in nineteen ninety five, I survived a bus
bombing in Jerusalem that was perpetrated by Hamas terrorists. That
day taught me that number one, I couldn't lose my humanity.
I would never let Hamas steal my humanity, which is
why I have worked as a peace builder and a
bridge builder between Palestinians and Israelis, between Jewish, Muslim and
Christian groups to try and lean into the possibility of
(07:32):
the beloved and loving community. And it also taught me
no matter what three thousand years of Jewish life, no
matter what they do to us, we have hatikva, the hope.
We will live, we will thrive on Ysrael Hai the
Jewish People Endoors Union.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
For Reform Judaism. It's Rabbi Jonah Dove Pesterner. Rabbi, thank
you so much for your time. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Marti, thank you
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