Community Meets on Antisemitism

Weston Today photos

A standing-room-only audience in the Weston Library’s Community Room on Thursday evening held a “Together Against Antisemitism” community conversation in the wake of heightened distress about antisemitic incidents in the schools and town.

The session was organized by Mothers in Blue, a group of a parents of Weston schoolchildren advocating for programs, training, and leadership to address antisemitism and hate speech in the schools. The group plans to present specific recommendations to the Board of Education in April.

Group leaders Stephanie Feingold and Judy Meadows opened the session and introduced the moderator, Rabbi Michael Friedman of Temple Israel.

On April 9, Rabbi Friedman will share with parents a presentation he has given to students about hate symbols. His talk is at 6:30 pm in the Weston Middle School library.

Rabbi Friedman, a Weston resident, said “this town is filled with good people,” but with antisemitism rising and no longer confined to history books, “we’re all a little surprised to find ourselves here.”

Concerns and questions

A number of residents shared their concerns and the experiences of their children, a sense of “sadness and fear” about antisemitic incidents in schools and a troubling piece of hate that arrived in one resident’s mail.

Others had questions, asking what the churches were doing and what parents were doing to educate their children that swastikas are symbols of hate. One disputed that characterization. “It doesn’t mean hate,” he said. “It means the mass killing and burning of millions of people.”

Several asked how the schools identify and deal with students who commit antisemitic acts and what consequences they face.

Board of Education chair Steve Ezzes and Acting Superintendent Deborah Low explained that federal law prohibits school officials from releasing information that could in any way identify a student.

As for consequences, we know from previous reporting that they range up to at least suspension and, since the district’s protocol includes involving Weston Police when necessary, possible arrest.

Community engagement

Rabbi Friedman said he hopes the session is a start to “bringing together the entire community to speak with one voice.” Several in the audience had ideas.

One, noting that with so many Weston homes on two-acre lots, “it’s hard to get to know your neighbors.” He suggested inviting them to your home and hosting parties. “Getting to know them makes it harder to dehumanize them,” he said.

Another suggested volunteering in the community to model civil behavior for children. Another described a cooking class taken by her children where both Easter and Passover dishes were prepared, a form of “tradition sharing.”

Town Hall, School Road

“We are not siloed on this,” said First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor, referring to a collaboration by the Town and Board of Education to address the issue.

Attorney Steve Ginsburg, a former director of the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League, has been engaged by both the Town and school district to consult on community initiatives.

“We are not an antisemitic town,” said Ms. Nestor, “but this is a problem everywhere, and we are all ready to get to work on it here in Weston.”

Mr. Ezzes, the school board chair, said he fully agreed.

“This is the most important meeting I’ve attended in this town,” he said. “Change won’t happen overnight. It will take time.”

Mr. Ezzes added that, with the board currently interviewing superintendent candidates, recent events “have affected what I believe our next superintendent should be.”