INDIANA JEWISH COMMUNITIES’ STATEMENT ON DEMOCRACY
Friday, January 8, 2021
Throughout the State of Indiana, Jewish communities stand united in our condemnation of the violence and destruction laid upon our nation’s Capitol. The seditious riots were a direct attack on our democracy, a pillar of which is the peaceful transition of power.
While these events affected all of us as Americans, as Jews, we are uniquely familiar with and disturbed by the scenes of violent mobs that wreak lawlessness and threaten society. Many of us, our parents, and grandparents fled undemocratic regimes. It is not lost on us that some participants in the uprising were reported to have been wearing memorabilia glorifying the Holocaust. Our safety in America is premised on the norms of our democratic heritage.
In a unified non-partisan voice, we call for respectful discourse and peaceful actions from our fellow Hoosiers, and for our elected officials at all levels of government to amplify this call by explicitly and swiftly condemning inflammatory rhetoric, violence, and acts of insurrection. Words matter, and as we have seen, words can have consequences that threaten the foundational values of democracy that Americans hold dear.
As American Jews, we remain committed to strengthening our nation’s democracy, which includes the active pursuit of a society that is just, celebrates pluralism, protects peaceful dissent, and ensures free and fair elections.
We are gratified that the election results were ultimately certified, and support those who continue to work tirelessly to serve and protect our democracy.
###
(As of 1/12/2021 at 4:00 pm)
Organizational Signatories:
Indiana Board of Rabbis
Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Indianapolis
American Jewish Committee (AJC), Chicago Regional Office
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Midwest, Chicago
Aruthur M. Glick Jewish Community Center
Eric H. Koehler
CANDLES Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Terre Haute
Leah Simpson, Director
Congregation Achduth Vesholom, Fort Wayne
Rabbi Meir Bargeron
Congregation Beth El Zedeck, Indianapolis
Rabbi Dennis C. Sasso, Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Jennifer R. Greenspan, Assistant Rabbi
Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, Rabbi Emerita
Cantor Melissa Cohen
Congregation Beth Shalom, Bloomington
Rabbi Brian Besser
Congregation Beth Shalom, Carmel
Rabbi Justin Kerber
Rabbi Stanley Halpern, Rabbi Emeritus
Judy Weitzman, President
Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, Carmel
Rabbi Benjamin Sendrow
Etz Chaim Sephardic Congregation, Indianapolis
Alan Cohen, President
Hadassah, Greater Indianapolis
Hasten Hebrew Academy, Indianapolis
Hillel at Butler University, Indianapolis
Hillel at Indiana University, Bloomington
Rabbi Sue Silberberg, Executive Director
Hillel at Purdue University, West Lafayette
Philip Schlossberg, Executive Director
Indianapolis BBYO
Ethan Cohen, City Director
Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation
Rabbi Brett Krichiver
Rabbi Jordana Chernow-Reader
Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro
Cantor Aviva Marer
Eloise Paul, President
Institute for Holocaust & Genocide Studies at Purdue University Fort Wayne
Steven Alan Carr, Director
Jewish Community Relations Council, Indianapolis
Lindsey B. Mintz, Executive Director
Jewish Family Services
Lori Popp Moss, Director
Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne
Jackie Schreier, Executive Director
Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis
Debra Barton Grant, CEO
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Indianapolis
Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, Indianapolis
Andy Huston, Executive Director
Sinai Temple, Michigan City
Carolyn Berkowitz, President
Rabbi Suzanne Griffel
Teach Me Judaism, West Lafayette
Rabbi Mike Harvey
Temple Adath B’nai Israel, Evansville
Rabbi Gary Mazo
Temple Beth-El, South Bend
Rabbi Karen Companez
Temple Beth El, Muncie
Temple Israel, West Lafayette
Rabbi Karen Fanwick
United Hebrew Congregation, Terre Haute
Betsy Frank, President
Zeta Beat Tau Fraternity, Indianapolis
Libby Anderson CEO
Individual Signatories:
Professor Alvin H. Rosenfeld
Irving M. Glazer Chair in Jewish Studies; Director, Institute for the Study of
Contemporary Antisemitism; Borns Jewish Studies Program, Indiana University, Bloomington
Rabbi Aaron Spiegel, Indianapolis
Rabbi Faedra Weiss, Indianapolis
Media Contact: Aaron Welcher, Communications Coordinator, Indianapolis JCRC awelcher@indyjcrc.org, 317.376.0468
