ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Press Release) — On Thursday evening, The Florida Holocaust Museum hosted a #UniteAgainstHate solidarity gathering attended by a couple hundred local Tampa/St. Peterburg supporters of the institution. The Florida Holocaust Museum was attacked with abhorrent antisemitic vandalism on May 27 as part of a surge of antisemitism that has victimized American Jews from coast to coast in the last few weeks.
At the event, a letter from the White House was read aloud by Elizabeth Gelman, Executive Director, The Florida Holocaust Museum:
“On behalf of President Joe Biden, I want to extend our deepest condolences for the recent vandalization of The Florida Holocaust Museum and to express our solidarity with you against this hateful act. As the president has said, the recent surge in antisemitic attacks is despicable, and it must end immediately. The Biden-Harris Administration is working every day to stop these attacks and to ensure that everyone is safe.”
The one-page letter from the White House included messages of support for Jewish American families, highlighted important firsts in the nation’s leadership this year including Second Gentleman Emhoff making history as the first-ever Jewish spouse of a president or vice president, expressed stern condemnation of antisemitism, and pledged to work together to protect religious freedoms.
During the event, faith leaders of diverse backgrounds spoke to the crowd. Imam Askia Muhammad Aquil, Chair, Interfaith Collective Empowerment Group of the Tampa Bay Area, Inc., chanted as part of an inspirational prayer: “Inspire in our souls, unite our hearts and minds to stand up firmly for justice and against injustice…place our trust in you and the irreversible arc in the universe that inevitably bends toward justice.”
Toni Rinde, a Holocaust survivor who saw the terrors of antisemitism decades ago, shared her thoughts on the resurgence of antisemitism today and how now is the time to stand together: “I once asked my parents why is it that people hate us. Can you explain hate to a seven-year-old little child? We in our Museum try to explain hate. We teach how to be an Upstander. When you see wrong being done, we teach: Fix that wrong.”
In support of the museum’s mission of education, Michael Igel, Chairman of the Board of The Florida Holocaust Museum and the grandson of Holocaust survivors, asked all attendees to hold up their most meaningful book, which they had been asked to bring to the gathering.
As Igel held his copy of Elie Wiesel’s book Night aloft, he explained that the book was signed by Wiesel himself, who had been part of a group of orphaned children that Igel’s grandfather helped save right after the war. Igel stated:
“Tonight, as we gather to unite against hate, we ask everyone to hold up our books together, to remind the world that education is the solution to stopping antisemitism. Please hold up your book together with me as a symbol of tonight’s message. Unity and education will always stamp out hate.”
Other speakers included St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman; Faith Church Pastor J.C. Pritchett II, President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance; Congregation B’nai Israel Rabbi Philip Weintraub, President of the Pinellas Board of Rabbis; Congregation Schaarai Zedek Rabbi Joel Simon, President of the Tampa Rabbinical Association; Historic Bethel AME Church Reverend Kenneth F. Irby, Director of Community Intervention and Juvenile Outreach for the St. Petersburg Police Department, and Rev. Stephan Brown, SVD, Pastor, Saint Joseph Catholic Church/Iglesia De San José, Divine Word Ministry.
The gathering also featured musical performances from Rabbi Danielle Upbin and Dr. Alex Harris.
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Preceding provided by The Florida Holocaust Museum.