On Saturday morning, Congregation Beth
Elohim will be picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church, an
extremist anti-Semitic, anti-gay independent church based
out of Topeka, Kansas.
They plan to send
representatives who will stand in front of the synagogue on Garfield Place displaying
disturbing signs and provoking those entering the building. According to an email from Rabbi Andy Bachman "Their aim is to create enough confrontation to
incite others to provocation. It is their constitutional
right to picket."
Rabbi Andy Bachman, CBE's Executive Director Elana Paru, and CBE's President David
Kasakove, sent out this email to synagogue members.
welcome this group's message or actions in any way. Our
focus and mission as a community is to build an inclusive
Jewish community that celebrates the strength of
diversity. It is a home for individuals and families of
all backgrounds to grow and to learn and to care about and
deepen their connections to one another.
We have
clear priorities during difficult moments such as these.
Protecting our members and visitors, and most importantly
our children, is a primary goal. Our internal security
team is already in action and local police authorities
have been alerted. Although you are entitled to your right
to free speech, we ask
that you calmly pass these protesters and walk directly
into our building without incident.
For
more information about the Westboro Baptist and for
educational materials about responding to hate groups,
please download a PDF provided by
the Anti-Defamation League.
Congregation Beth
Elohim is an amazing community in that it is a warm and
welcoming place. This group will be picketing us
because of our commitment to those who desire
community. Though Saturday may be upsetting, it is
important to remember that our precious values are truly a
source of great pride. Our best and only response is to
conduct ourselves as usual.
Way to go, Louise. This is a disturbing development in our community and it’s great you’re on it as usual. I heard about this through a Brooklyn Congregations United event last night.
Peace,
Tom
Rev. Tom Martinez