What I told my children when our synagogue was graffitied with a swastika

• Published date: 02 April 2024
• Author: ERIN BESER/JTA
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Even though it wasn't shattered glass, or broken bones, it was painful to see it there, right there, in our own backyard, on our property, on our beloved banner that advertises our early childhood program and the summer camp my children will attend. It was vandalism, an ugly symbol that has only one meaning for generations: Jews, you are hated. Jews, you are not welcome. Jews, you should be afraid

My husband and his committee of leaders and professionals from the synagogue, Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El, sprang into action in response. I left on a planned hike with my children, ages 4 and 7, keeping them away from the news vans and police cars that occupied the parking lot of their school and synagogue.

I knew what was unfolding back at the synagogue was notable. On Easter, our police came to investigate, Christian clergy called to support us and spoke at our vigil and prayer service, and politicians all reached out — from our state senator to our congressman to Gov. Josh Shapiro. It was a miraculous response when you consider the arc of Jewish history, when Jews have often felt alone in the face of so much persecution, oppression and violence, especially on Christian holidays.

But it wasn't until I answered my children's questions that I felt comforted.

They asked, "Where is Abba? Why has he been gone all day?" Here's what I answered:

Abba is gone because he is taking care of our community and helping everyone feel safe and feel better, because right now they are sad. Someone - we don't know who - drew a picture on the blue sign and it's a picture that represents a way of being mean to Jews and hating Jews and when Jewish people see the picture, it makes them feel sad because it reminds them that there are some people in the world who hate Jews.

They asked: "Why do some people in the world hate Jews?"

I answered: Jews as a people have been around for thousands of years and as long as there have been people, people have been hating other people for being different. Being with people who are just like us makes us feel safe, and sometimes when we see someone who is different, or go somewhere new, we feel afraid. And we don't like to feel afraid, so we tell ourselves a story about our fear — that the other people must be bad. And that reason isn't true, because those people aren't all bad: Every person makes good choices and bad choices, but all people are just people making choices every day, just like us.

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