Page 10A FAITH East Oregonian Friday, November 18, 2016 U.S. Jews grapple with election- year eruption of anti-Semitism Community “We must not be silent, we must raise our voices, we must act, and to act we must un- derstand what we are up against.” By RACHEL ZOLL AP Religion Writer NEW YORK — Amer- ican Jews gathered Thursday to wrestle with how they should confront an elec- tion-year surge in anti-Sem- itism, a level of bias not seen in the U.S. for decades. At a national meeting of the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish civil rights group, about 1,000 people listened to talks expressing shock at the hatred expressed during the presidential campaign and questioned what they thought was a high-level of acceptance by other Ameri- cans. “I’m struggling right now in this American moment,” said Yehuda Kurtzer, presi- dent of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, an education and research organization, in his talk at the event. “I wonder whether I have been — and I think the answer is probably yes — a little bit naive.” During this past year, anti-Semitic imagery proliferated on social media, Jewish journalists were targeted and longstanding anti-Jewish conspiracy theo- ries got a fresh airing. Much of the bias originated with the alt-right, or alternative right, a loose group espousing a provocative and reactionary strain of conservatism. It’s often associated with far right efforts to preserve “white identity,” oppose multiculturalism and defend “Western values.” In addition to the online intimidation, reports of anti-Semitic vandalism and other attacks have risen. Last week, the day after the election, a Philadelphia storefront was sprayed with a swastika and the words “Sieg Heil 2016,” which means “Hail Victory,” a common Nazi chant, and the word “Trump,” with a swastika replacing the “T.” These developments have stunned U.S. Jewish leaders, who in recent years had been more focused on anti-Semitism in Europe and on addressing complaints of anti-Jewish bias on college campuses amid the debate over the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement — Jonathan Greenblatt, national director of the Anti-Defamation League AP Photo/Julie Jacobson In this June 2015 file photo, Jonathan Greenblatt, left, incoming national director for the Anti-Defamation League, talks with Abe Foxman, outgoing director of the ADL, in New York. On Thursday, American Jews gathered to wrestle with how they should confront an election-year surge in anti-Semitism, a level of bias not seen in the U.S. for decades. against Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. In a sign of the depth of American Jewish anxiety about anti-Semitism, ADL officials said donations to their organization increased 50-fold in the days immedi- ately after the election and a large majority of the money came from first-time donors. Every one of their regional offices reported an uptick in calls from people wanting to donate or volunteer, the ADL said. “We must not be silent, we must raise our voices, we must act, and to act we must understand what we are up against,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive officer of ADL, opening the meeting in Manhattan. As the presidential race intensified, Jews started seeing their names bracketed with a series of paren- theses in harassing tweets, signaling that the person had been identified as a Jew. The image became known as the Jewish cowbell and its source was traced to neo-Nazis and white nationalists. The ADL investigated the harassment and found more than 800 journalists had suffered anti-Semitic attacks on Twitter during the election, mostly from anon- ymous Twitter accounts, although some belonged to white supremacists. In a common example of the reporters’ experiences, Jane Eisner, editor-in-chief of the Forward, an influential Jewish newspaper that exten- sively covered the election, said she received an email the morning after the second presidential debate with an image of a Nazi solder pointing a gun at her head, which was Photoshopped onto a concentration camp uniform. Donald Trump’s campaign came under scru- tiny since much of the harass- ment came from accounts tied to his supporters. Trump drew direct criticism last July when he tweeted an image of Hillary Clinton’s face with a six-pointed star, a pile of hundred dollar bills and the words “most corrupt candi- date ever.” The star was in the shape of the Jewish Star of David and was widely condemned as anti-Semitic. Trump’s campaign said it was a sheriff’s badge. Last month, Trump gave a speech in West Palm Beach, Florida, in which he accused Clinton of holding secret meetings with bankers in a conspiracy to undermine U.S. sovereignty. The ADL said that whether intentional or not, Trump had reflected a classic anti-Semitic theme of Jewish control of banks. The president-elect’s daughter Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who is now one of his top advisers, are Orthodox Jews. Kushner has defended Trump against allegations of bias. BOARDMAN’S LIMEY PASTOR Giving thanks in a thankful place B eing a Limey, I didn’t to be among a people have a Thanksgiving who care. I remember until I got here in being on a street in the my twenties. Until then, I U.S.A. where a bicyclist never had cranberry sauce was knocked over by with meat of any kind — an a car, and was fully idea of sweet and sour that attended by police and was unheard of in my small ambulance. A woman island nation. It also seemed from Thailand who stood Colin strange to have such food, beside me marveled, Brown which presumably went for in her county, she Faith with the late autumn on said, fallen bicyclists the East Coast, with the were just covered with climate that I first moved to when cardboard so people wouldn’t I came to the U.S.A. That is to have to look at them. say, Southern California. Palm There is a wonderful prayer trees and shorts seem so strange from the Ignatian tradition which in November. helps us come in touch with This morning it was quite cold, gratitude and God. It is called the the leaves brown and slushy. Examen Prayer. It takes about 15 Thanksgiving vibes are moving minutes — and if done at the end in. of the day can light it up like a A few weeks ago the washing sunrise at night. machine clonked out, then the First, ask God to provide you microwave bit the dust — and with his eyes to see things as he then, for a finale, the refrigerator does. Ask God for light. died, leaving its insides balmy Second, give thanks. The day and Californian. I’ve been paying you have just lived is God’s gift insurance on these items for for you. Be grateful for this gift the past few years, but only the from him. washing machine has been fixed. Third, review the events of The microwave is still moribund the day you have just lived, and and the refrigerator is still as dead allow the Holy Spirit to show as is the food that was freshly you things in this review. You piled in it. Modern life is held will see his working in this close by such thin threads. We wait for reflection. There will be things parts to be flown in from the far that you may have missed or that lands these things are made in. went unnoticed. So, I am reminded of the Fourth, seek out your short- Grace of God, and remember the comings. Note areas of challenge fragility of our world. I remember where steps can be made. the homeless, the people seen Lastly, look forward to your shivering in the streets who have next day, see if you can review no place to go, the people with its pattern. Ask God to help you pennies who count them out to make this review, and ask God eat from the dollar menu. We are to show you where you will need all a few bills away from dire God in this new day to come. circumstance. Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for a country that ■ values its religious expressions Colin Brown is pastor of and enjoys freedom of thought Boardman’s Good Shepherd and discussion, and am thankful Lutheran Church on Locust Road. The issue erupted anew when Trump announced far-right publishing execu- tive Stephen Bannon as his top White House Strategist. Bannon led the Breitbart website, considered by many to be the alt-right’s platform that has been widely condemned as racist, sexist and anti-Semitic. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway called the accusations against Bannon “very unfair.” Some Jewish groups have defended Bannon, including the hawkish Zionist Organization of America. Bernie Marcus, a founder of The Home Depot Inc. and board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said in a statement that Bannon was “a passionate Zionist and supporter of Israel.” Marcus called the condemnations of Bannon an attempt to undermine the incoming administration. Seven- ty-one percent of Jews voted for Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls. Greenblatt worked in the Obama administration. Still, Jonathan Sarna, a Brandeis University professor and historian of American Judaism, said it would be wrong to attribute the criti- cisms of Trump appointments or his supporters to partisan- ship. “I don’t know anybody who is looking at this in a serious way who says nothing has changed,” in regard to the level of anti-Semitism, Sarna said. “American Jews assumed that anti-Semitism had largely been overcome,” he said. “And then all of a sudden, unexpectedly, anti-Semitism of a virulent kind came roaring back.” 585 SW Birch, Pilot Rock, OR 97868 (541) 443-2500 prbconline.blogspot.com Pilot Rock, Sunday School: 9:30 am Worship Service: 10:45 am Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm Wednesday Services: Youth Group: 7:00 pm F IRST C HRISTIAN C HURCH Faith Center Church (D ISCIPLES OF C HRIST ) 215 N MAIN • PENDLETON Sunday Worship: 10:40a Bible Class: 9:30a Offi ce 276-5358 M-F, 8:30-12:30 WWW.FCCPENDLETON.ORG FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH -Presbyterian Church (USA)- 201 SW Dorion Ave. Pendleton Service of Worship - 10:00 am Children’s Sunday School - 10:20 am Fellowship - 11:00 am www.pendletonpresbyterian.com Open Hearted... Open Minded Community Presbyterian Church 14 Martin Drive, Umatilla, OR 922-3250 Worship: 10 AM Sunday School at 11:30 P eace L utheran C hurch 210 NW 9th, Pendleton ELCA Join us Sundays 9:30 Sunday Worship 9:30 am am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Fellowship 11:00 am Sunday School & Adult Class ~Come and be at Peace ~ on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR www.graceandmercylutheran.org Sunday Worship 8:45 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School Check Out our Facebook Page or Website for More Information 541-289-4535 Tom Inch, Pastor Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA (First United Methodist Church) 191 E. Gladys Ave. / P.O. Box 1108 Hermiston, Oregon 97838 Seventh-Day Adventist Church Saturday Services Pendleton 1401 SW Goodwin Place 276-0882 Sabbath School 9:20 am Worship Service 10:45 am Grace Baptist Church 555 SW 11th, Hermiston 567-9497 Nursery provided for all services Sunday School - 9:30 AM Worship - 10:45 AM 6:00 pm Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM “Proclaiming God’s word, growing in God’s grace” St. Johns Episcopal Church Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. Scripture, Tradition and Reason Family service 9am Sunday N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. Redeemer Episcopal Church 241 SE Second St. Pendleton (541)276-3809 www.pendletonepiscopal.org Sunday Holy Communion 9:00 a.m. Wednesday Holy Communion Noon Weekly Adults Spiritual Life Group All Are Welcome 3202 SW Nye Ave Pendleton, OR 541-276-7590 Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Sunday Bible Classes 9:45 AM Sunday Youth Group 6:00 PM Mon. Community Women’s Study 9:30 AM & 6 PM Awana Kids Club (K-6th grade) Wed Men’s Study 6 PM MOPS meeting the 1st Thur of the Month 6 PM PENDLETON — In preparation of the Advent season, the Pendleton First Presbyterian is hosting an event that features making ornaments, decorating a tree and a Mexican potluck. The Advent Celebration is Sunday from 4-6 p.m. in the church’s Rogers Fellowship Room, 201 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton. People are invited to bring main or side dishes — such as tacos, enchiladas, rice, beans, salsa, chips — to share. For more information, contact fpcp@ pendletonpresbyterian.com or 541-276-7681. FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH Grace and Mercy church to move in Hermiston FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM 712 SW 27 TH ST. 541-276-1894 www.fcogpendleton.com HERMISTON — Local musician Dallin Puzey, the Hermiston Community Choir and others will kick off the holiday season in song. The Community Christmas Concert is Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 850 S.W. 11th St., Hermiston. There is no admission charge. For more information, contact ilene. curtis@a1ind.com. ——— Send information about local faith-related news and events, including concerts, special speakers and activities to community@ eastoregonian.com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-966-0818 with questions. pendletonfaithcenter.org Come meet Jesus at Presbyterian church holds Advent celebration Community Christmas Concert features local talent Loving People 108 S. Main • 276-9569 Sunday Worship 10:30 am Sr. Pastor, Ray O’Grady PENDLETON BAPTIST CHURCH BRIEFLY HERMISTON — Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church will be moving. Beginning Thursday, Dec. 1, the Hermiston church will share space at the First United Methodist Church, 191 E. Gladys Ave., Hermiston. Sunday services include worship at 8:45 a.m. and Sunday school at 10 a.m. The public is invited to worship with them and enjoy a time of fellowship and refreshments. A nursery is provided. For more information, contact Rev. Tom Inch at 541-289-4535, marksr@eotnet.net or search Facebook for “Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church ELCA Hermiston.” Worshiping God in Mission for Christ LCMC Bible Study.........9:00 AM Sunday Worship......10:30 AM Red Lion Hotel ( Oregon Trail Room ) www.faithpendleton.org First United Methodist Church Pendleton/Hermiston 352 SE 2nd Street, Pendleton Sunday Worship 9am 541-276-2616 Worship Broadcast on KUMA 1290 @ 11am 191 E. Gladys Ave,Hermiston Sunday Worship 11am 541-567-3002 Worship Livestream at herfumc.com Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor Sunday Worship 10:00am Wednesday Bible Study 6:00pm Youth Classes: Nursery - 6th grade Sun & Wed Jr & Sr High Discipleship Program Wed Overcomer’s Outreach Tuesday at 6:00pm - Annex A Christ-centered, 12-Step Recovery Support Group Pastor Sharon Miller 401 Northgate, Pendleton 541-278-8082 www.livingwordcc.com To share your worship times call Terri Briggs 541-278-2678