DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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MARCH 21 • 2024 | 7
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Jewish institutions and fur-
thering Jewish learning, we
must unabashedly support
politicians who recognize
Israel’s right to defend
itself against terrorism and
who condemn antisemi-
tism in the U.S.
With Michigan as a bat-
tle-ground state, we would
do well to make regular
phone calls to our elected
officials and to donate to
their campaigns with the
explicit condition that our
financial support is tied up
with furthering our com-
munal interests. For exam-
ple, a donation though the
AIPAC PAC sends money
to our desired campaigns
and simultaneously lets the
politician know that sup-
port of Israel is among our
top priorities.
Furthermore, we need to
organize as a community
to share with news outlets
and with neighbors about
our right to live safely
and freely. Jewish voices
are being shouted down,
but we cannot give up our
pursuit of justice, our right
to security and our hope of
peace.
This Purim, the masks
are off. On one hand,
hatred and discrimination
against Jews are once
again tolerated beliefs
in American life. On the
other hand, like Queen
Esther and Mordecai, we
Jews are empowered to
act. Let us, like them, act
wisely, responsibly and
powerfully.
Rabbi Aaron Starr is a spiritual
leader at Congregation Shaarey
Zedek in Southfield, and he is
a senior rabbinic fellow of the
Shalom Hartman Institute.