As snow flakes began to fall, Temple Emanu-El hosted an outdoor Shabbat service on the Upper East Side Saturday morning in response to an antimsemitic ‘Day of Hate’ being organized online against the Jewish community by neo-Nazis, which has also drawn attention from law enforcement nationwide and prompted the NYPD to increase patrols around houses of worship.
“We brought our worship out of the sanctuary onto Fifth Avenue where everyone could see us and everyone would know that we will not be intimidated or cowed by those in this country who seek to do us and other minority communities harm,” Rabbi Joshua Davidson told the crowd gathered on the sidewalk in front of Temple Emanu-El, located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 65th Street in Lenox Hill.
Saturday’s biting temperatures and gusty winds, not enough to keep our Jewish neighbors and allies in the community from coming together in opposition to virulent hate and antisemitism with a ‘Day of Resolve.’
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“In this particular moment, I want to express gratitude to others who are always watching out for us,” Rabbi Davidson explained, “The members of other faith communities. They don’t even need to be called, they just know that they need to be here and we are so grateful to them.”
Minister Galen Guengerich of All Souls Church on the Upper East Side joined Rabbi Davidson to denounce hatred and pray for all those whose hearts in which it runs deep.
“We gather to bear witness to a love that cannot be diminished by fear, or intimidated by hatred,” said Minister Guengerich, “We pray, especially today, for those in our nation and our world whose minds and hearts have been corrupted by bigotry, hatred and other forms of animosity. Open their minds and hearts to the dignity of each of us and the common humanity of all of us.”
In Yorkville, Rabbi Uriel Vigler of the Chabad Israel Center on Second Avenue, whose beautiful ice menorah was targeted and smashed in an apparent antisemitic attack last December, offered a message of hope in these difficult times.
“We should designate this Shabbat as a ‘Day of Love.’ extra love,” Rabbi Vigler said in a video posted on social media addressing concerns from his congregation about whether they should stay home on the so-called ‘Day of Hate.’
“We will celebrate with love, because this is our response to hatred,” he explained, encouraging them to do a Mitzvah — a good deed — on Saturday.
“When they bring darkness into the world. We respond with light, with love,” said Vigler.
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While police tell Upper East Site says there is no credible threat to New York City, additional resources have been deployed to synagogues like Temple Emanu-El out of an abundance of caution.
In front of the house of worship on Saturday, a mixture of officers from the Upper East Side’s 19th Precinct, as well as the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Bureau, stood ready to protect our Jewish neighbors.
“We urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant,” an NYPD spokesperson told Upper East Site, “if you see anything suspicious, please call 1-888–NYC-SAFE.”
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