NEW YORK — Hundreds of demonstrators marched across New York City in support of the Jewish community in the wake of recent anti-Semitic attacks.
The “No Hate, No Fear” solidarity march included members of different organizations, people of various faiths and allies from all walks of life.
The message was combination of “enough is enough” and “we stand with you” in the fight against hate crimes.
Among those marching and taking a stand were members of the Northeast Ohio community and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.
“There were over 25,000 people that marched from City Hall in New York across the Brooklyn Bridge,” David Heller, board chair for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, said.
“Antisemitism is a disease that has been around for thousands of years, but when it rears its ugly head the only way that it's going to be stamped down is by people speaking up.”
During the last week of December, there was an attack against Jewish New Yorkers almost every day, including the recent stabbing inside of a rabbi’s home during a Hanukkah celebration.
Unfortunately, the incidents aren’t isolated to one part of the country. A rash increase in violence has been seen in many parts of the United States.
“Sometimes with these issues, people are looking to blame one group,” Heller said. “The unfortunate thing is when we look at Charlottesville and Pittsburgh and look at that happening from the right and then you look at things like Jersey City and things happening in Brooklyn from the left, it's really an ugly sore on our society coming from both sides.”
It’s not enough to just talk about change though, activists say we have to reiterate how unacceptable hate crimes are.
“Tougher laws and calling it out for what it is, that’s usually the best antidote to these challenges.”
Heller says the other antidote is informing people who may not understand other religions.
“As I look at the way that our community relations group in Cleveland through the Jewish community is reaching out to the Hispanic community to the Arab American community and to other members of our greater Cleveland community, we've done a great job of dialogue, of sharing.”