A Rabbinic Letter: The Assault on Civil Rights

A Note from Rabbi Dov Gartenberg: I am a signer of this letter along with other rabbis across New Mexico.

To Jewish Communities of New Mexico,

We write as a diverse body of rabbis, serving communities with a wide range of perspectives on US politics and on Israel. We write at a time when our Jewish community is feeling vulnerable. The fear of rising antisemitism has shaken us. And yet, we cannot allow fear to keep us from facing another threat to our nation.

In the face of Egyptian oppression, Moses spoke to our Israelite ancestors who had every reason to fear saying, “Do not be afraid” (Exodus 14:13). With Passover, the Festival of Freedom approaching, we take these words to heart as we speak out in support of caring for the stranger and in defense of freedoms that have allowed us to thrive as Jews in America. 

Today, we are witnessing a steadily growing crackdown on universities across the country, detaining international students and defunding universities. These detentions and financial penalties are being justified by the Trump Administration as part of the fight against antisemitism.

On the surface, this approach may seem to offer protection. But that appearance is an illusion. We are concerned that this approach which targets and detains international students threatens to erode our democracy without making Jewish students any safer. It is stirring up fear and stifling free speech. We want Jews and other minorities to feel safe on college campuses and not face threats of violence.  We object to the violation of anyone’s Constitutional rights as a strategy for fighting antisemitism.

The recent spate of immigrant arrests of peaceful activists and withholding of Federal funding from universities are evidence of a strategy employed by the Trump administration called “Project Esther,” authored by the Heritage Foundation. This strategy uses claims of fighting antisemitism to dismantle values we hold dear as Jews and as Americans, including the right to express dissent and the imperative to protect the stranger.

History has taught us that whenever a government restricts the rights of a given group, oppression of the Jews will soon follow. We have learned that our safety and freedom as Jews is irrevocably bound up with the safety and freedom of all people.

In the story of liberation Jews around the world will read this Passover, Moses was a leader who could have lived comfortably to the end of his days as a prince. Instead, when he witnessed injustice, he responded and became God’s partner in the fight against oppression.

We invite our communities to follow in Moses’ footsteps and stand up against the Administration’s violations of human dignity in the name of fighting antisemitism. Let us commit to an ethic of care, accountability, and civil rights for all – including for those with whom we may disagree. The work before us requires us to build coalitions to protect our community in ways that bind our safety and freedom with others.

Signed,

Rabbi Deborah Brin

Rabbi Chavah Carp

Rabbi Paul Citrin

Rabbi Arthur Flicker

Rabbi Dov Gartenberg

Rabbi Shefa Gold

Rabbi Judith HaLevy

Rabbi Jay Heyman

Rabbi Min Kantrowitz

Rabbi Darah Lerner

Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld

Rabbi Jack Shlachter

Rabbi Celia Surget

Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev