Yesterday, the Michigan Jewish community was shaken by a horrifying act of antisemitic violence at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield—a place that should always be a sanctuary for Jewish learning, prayer, and connection. We wish we were surprised. We are not. And that is its own tragedy.
Our hearts are with the Temple Israel community, with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, and with every Jewish community in Michigan today. Amid the fear and shock, we are profoundly grateful that due to the swift, decisive and courageous actions of the Temple Israel security team, children and congregants were spared physical harm. We are deeply grateful for the first responders and safety professionals who rushed toward danger to assist them. The bravery, preparedness, and professionalism of these security professionals and local law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives.
We pray for full and speedy recovery for the Temple Israel Director of Security, who was injured during the incident, and for the officers recovering from smoke inhalation incurred at the scene.
We are horrified that a house of worship, especially one in which children were attending school, was violently attacked. While details are still unfolding, one truth is painfully clear: this was an act of hate—another stark reminder of how deeply antisemitism persists in our society, and of the burden the Jewish community is too often forced to bear. Like all people, we deserve to live, gather and worship openly and without fear, regardless of how others feel about world events. We urge our political, religious, and educational leaders to condemn this violence against Jews. Rather than thoughts and prayers, we ask for help by working with our community as allies to fight against anti-Jewish hatred.
For years, the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor has sounded the alarm about the normalization of antisemitism, anti-Jewish rhetoric, and Jew-hatred. We have witnessed this rising tide locally, state-wide and throughout the country. And for years, we have done what Jewish communities have always done: we have adapted, we have invested, and we have protected our own — because we have had to. The security protocols and personnel put into place at Temple Israel prevented what could have become an unimaginable tragedy. We are fortunate to have a strong partnership with local and national law enforcement and Jewish Community Security, Inc., who work each day—often behind the scenes—to help keep Jewish life in Washtenaw County and across Michigan safe and secure. But this investment comes with a price.
In the Greater Ann Arbor area alone, our local Jewish institutions spend more than a million dollars every year on security simply to enable people to engage in Jewish communal life. We would much prefer to invest in programming, outreach, and transformative Jewish experiences. Instead, we harden our buildings, provide security training, and hire security guards, so that our children can walk into a Jewish day school or attend Jewish day camp without fear. So that our families can gather for Shabbat services without looking over their shoulders. So that we can simply exist. Jewish Americans deserve to worship, to learn, and to live without fear without having to fundraise for the basic right to safety.
Our Michigan Jewish community will not be intimidated by hate. We will respond as we always have: with courage and resolve, with vigilance, and above all with an unwavering commitment to living proud, vibrant Jewish lives.
Today, our schools and community institutions are open for business. This Shabbat and over the next few days, our synagogues, temples and religious schools will welcome congregants for prayer, learning and connection. Our lives will remain full and purposeful, and our Jewish spirit will remain strong.
Shabbat Shalom,
Marla Linderman Richelew, Board President
Eileen Freed, CEO
Resources:
To report an antisemitic incident of any kind, visit the incident reporting link. We will follow-up with you directly and will share the report with the ADL and appropriate authorities.
Please join ADL Michigan for a Zoom briefing with law enforcement, elected officials and Jewish communal leaders, TODAY, Friday, March 13, 1pm ET. Registration is required.
Jewish Family Services’ (JFS) Thrive team provides trauma informed counseling services. To contact them, visit www.jfsannarbor.org/thrive or call 734-436-4249.
JFS’s Coping with Antisemitism: A Group for Teens starts April 16.
The ADL’s Supporting Jewish Students After Incidents includes resources to support learning about antisemitism, mental health considerations and ways to stand up to hate.