March Against Antisemitism in New York City

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK —

“Oppose Antisemitism” read dozens of signs across the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday, July 28 in a local rally.

Nearly 300 people from around the world gathered in Manhattan, New York City to stand up against antisemitism. Nearly half from the group took part in a march from Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn crossing the Brooklyn Bridge and ending at City Hall Park in Manhattan in the “March Against Antisemitism.” With recent cases of discrimination against Jewish people worldwide, the rally’s mission was to stop the spread of such prejudice.

An organization, Chosen People Ministries, hosted the rally. CPM works to spread the message of Jesus Christ to Jewish people. However, the rally wasn’t a platform for spreading such a message. Rather, its intent was to denounce antisemitism.

Richard Flashman is the leader of the rally and a CPM Program Director who works in Coney Island, Brooklyn. He said the march is important especially today.

“I think silence is the biggest enemy of truth and righteousness. I think raising our voices now as we see antisemitism rising in our culture, as we see it rising in Europe, I think now is the time to nip it in the bud.”

The rise in antisemitism he referred to included the Chabad of Poway shooting in April where a gunman killed 1 congregant at the synagogue in San Diego County. In October 2018, a white nationalist walked into the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and shot and killed 11 members of the synagogue in the deadliest hate crime against Jews in US history. In August 2017 at an antisemitic white nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, a white nationalist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protestors and killed one person.

Dr. Michael Herts is CPM’s New York Regional Director. He is a Doctor of Psychology in clinical psychology. He is no stranger to enduring antisemitism. One instance from his childhood came to his mind.

“I’ve been called a ‘Christ killer.’ I remember me and some friends were in the woods one time just playing. Some gentile kids pulled a knife on us and said, ‘Who here’s a Jew?’ We were able to get away. A little scuffle and we were able to get away.”

Alan Mark Shore has a doctorate in modern Jewish culture and history. He is also the special assistant to the CPM president. Shore came from Bellingham, Washington to speak at the rally about the history and nature of antisemitism. He grew up in Jamaica, Queens.

He said after studying antisemitism in history, Jewish people today face discrimination from the broadest spectrum of people.

“You have right-wing white supremacists who hate Jews. But then you have an infestation of antisemitism in quote unquote progressive universities…I believe in the existence of evil and I believe that forces of evil have consistently targeted Jewish people.”

After marching across Brooklyn Bridge, participants joined fellow rally members at City Hall Park. They sang songs of peace for Jewish people and invited speakers to talk about the issue of antisemitism.

For Flashman, the event was a step towards a brighter future.

“I’m hoping that from this, we’ll see a growing movement of boldness among people to stand up against antisemitism.”

For more, please visit: jiminkim.org