San Diego Jewish Community Leaders Respond to Hate Speech in City Council Meeting

September 19, 2023

Together as members of the Antisemitism Roundtable and as leaders in San Diego’s Jewish Community, we thank the San Diego City Council, which unanimously condemned the vile antisemitic, racist and homophobic statements made in public comment throughout last night’s City Council meeting. This vitriol has no place in our public discourse, and we appreciate the Council’s rejection of the remarks and their determination to reduce opportunities for any form of hate speech in the future.

We know that antisemitism, racism and other forms of hate are inextricably linked and often intersectional in their nature. We believe and we know the vast majority of San Diegans agree that any and all forms of hate are reprehensible.

We strongly believe in the First Amendment and freedom of speech. We also believe we must do all we can to remove violent hate speech from our public discourse. We are in the midst of the Jewish High Holy Days, a period of intense introspection and recommitment to treating others with kindness and respect, and to tikkun olam, repairing the world. That includes speaking out against antisemitism and all forms of hate speech whenever it occurs. Together, we can and must do better.

In solidarity,

Sara E. Brown, Regional Director, American Jewish Committee, San Diego

Pam Ferris, CEO, Seacrest Village

Heidi Gantwerk, President and CEO, Jewish Federation of San Diego

Michael Hopkins, President and CEO, Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Oz Laniado, Executive Director, Stand With Us

Betzy Lynch, President and CEO, Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center

Karen Parry, Executive Director, Hillel of San Diego

Fabienne Perlov, Regional Director, San Diego Anti-Defamation League

Yael Ridberg, President, San Diego Rabbinical Association

Charlene Seidle, Vice President, Leichtag Foundation

Beth Sirull, CEO, Jewish Community Foundation

Eveie Wilpon, Co-founder, Peer K-12