On behalf of the organized Jewish community of Greater Boston, we join with millions of Americans in thanking the boards of elections, poll workers, and the various state and local bodies who have once again conducted a free and fair election. A healthy, vibrant democracy allows us to openly debate, to express our hopes at the ballot box, and then have a peaceful and lawful transition of power. This is not something that we take for granted.
We reaffirm our deep and enduring commitment to our democratic institutions, to peaceful transitions of power, and to the rule of law — both during this transition and for the future. In this time of great stress and challenge for the United States, our resiliency as a nation and as a Jewish community is best protected when we uphold and defend these enduring principles. We reaffirm our responsibility, as citizens of this nation, to protect and defend our constitutional system and the rule of law and to be the guardrails of our democracy.
This election campaign and its conclusion display, again, how deeply divided our nation is. The work ahead must prioritize the rebuilding of a shared civic project that brings together Americans in a common national purpose, that overcomes our fears, creates hope and opportunity for the future, and values the human dignity of all people.
As with the nation at-large, we wish to acknowledge that our Jewish community is also not of one mind about the outcome of this election. We affirm that members of our Jewish community hold diverse and deeply held opinions concerning both the state of our nation and its future. While many of our stakeholders are dismayed by the outcome, others welcome it, and some hold complex feelings.
Our responsibility is to serve our community as a whole, to lead from core values as affirmed by our network, and to work in partnership with all communities in Greater Boston. As we do so, we also seek to give voice to the diversity of views and concerns within our network. To that end and in these trying times, we take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to JCRC’s core values as stated in our mission: Building a strong and vibrant Jewish community in Boston and around the world; Advocating for a safe, secure, Jewish, and democratic state of Israel, and; Promoting an American society which is democratic, pluralistic, and just.
We reaffirm our commitment to listen to each other, to seek understanding and to find common ground. Together with our civic partners and our elected leaders, we seek to work for a common public agenda that reflects the consensus and will of all communities by inviting and encouraging constructive dialogue, and by modeling practices that reduce polarization and that engage in productive disagreement without dismissing or demonizing other people.
Finally, we want to name explicitly our dismay over rising antisemitism, hate and vitriol in our political ecosystem, along with the increased dissemination by people in positions of power of conspiracy theories that target and endanger many people — including the Jewish community. We have, during this campaign, expressed our abhorrence at the demonization of other communities — particularly the most vulnerable among us — in our politics.
Our work is to confront rising antisemitism as a unique form of hatred that manifests distinctively and requires tailored responses, and, at the same time, to combat all forms of hate and demonization that plague our nation and pit us against each other. We urge all public leaders to use their platforms, voices, and power to combat antisemitism in all its forms without regard for partisan interests, and to wholly condemn all the kinds of hateful rhetoric that we have witnessed in this election cycle, including the threats, insults and derogatory messages aimed at women, minority and immigrant communities.
Jeremy Burton, CEO, JCRC of Greater Boston
Frank Litwin, President, JCRC of Greater Boston
