Dear Friends,
As you may have now heard, a Swastika was carved onto a chair at the Lincoln Sudbury High School last Friday.
Since yesterday I have heard from multiple concerned parents about this incident and how it unnerved their children who are students at the school.
I have also heard firsthand from students and parents about the uptick in antisemitism that students are hearing online on social media platforms and elsewhere. The uptick is also connected to the fighting in Israel & Gaza and the way this is being discussed and reported, which is often the precursor for the antisemitic posts and comments.
The school put out a statement condemning the incident and are investigating the circumstances. We and others will be working with the school and Town Officials to make sure that these kinds of incidents are not repeated and to ensure that antisemitism gains no foothold in our community, not in the schools, streets or on Social Media platforms.
I have been in touch with the Superintendent, the Police Chief and other Town Officials, as well as our fellow clergy members, and will be meeting with some of them later today to follow up.
If there are specific comments, questions or concerns that you wish to share or discuss with me, please feel free to do so.
At the same time, I encourage every parent to talk to their child about not feeling the need to hide their identity and instead to continue to be proud of who you are and what you stand for. Together with the overwhelming vast majority of good people who are against antisemitism and other forms of hate, we will nip this in the bud and continue with our goal of making a better and kinder world each and every day.
Let us also remember that Sudbury is a beautiful and diverse community which has been a beautiful place to raise our family and for thousands of others to do the same. We will continue working together with the community and with town officials, to make sure it stays that way and only gets better going forward.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Yisroel Freeman