By Howard Horowitz

In response to the recent murders in DC of a young couple affiliated with the Israel Embassy and the attack in Boulder, CO on a Jewish-organized march in support of the hostages being held in Gaza, the Inter-Religious Coalition (IRC) of New Rochelle organized a prayer vigil on the steps of New Rochelle City Hall on June 18 billed as “Faith Against Hate.”

Featured prominently at the vigil were clergy from several local synagogues, clergy and leadership from several Black churches, and an Imam from a nearby Mosque. They offered prayers and calls for unity against hate, against all forms of racism, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism. Some 50 people attended the hour-long vigil.

To the casual observer, it could have appeared that international, national, and local politics were largely absent from the proceedings. And that same observer might have also sensed a sigh of relief among many in attendance that it was only about prayer and unity against hate. 

Indeed, politics were largely absent, though one or two speakers strayed into falsely lumping the campus protests (“encampments”) for Palestinian human rights and a ceasefire in Gaza with the violent incidents in Washington, DC, and Boulder, Colorado, as manifestations of anti-Semitism, rather than support for Palestinian human rights..  

There were no mentions of the ongoing mass killing, starvation, and destruction in Gaza nor of the Israeli hostages, nor about how these might relate to the killings in DC and the attack in Boulder. There were no Israeli flags. One of the Black pastors sported a cap with Israel blazoned on it, which he removed before speaking. One attendee wore a Palestinian keffiyeh.

Also in the proceedings, officiated for the most part by Elder Mark McLean, head of the Inter-Religious Coalition, with Jewish Rabbis and Black preachers professing and praying for unity, there was no attempt to address the lived reality of divisiveness between these very distinct communities of New Rochelle and with that, no call to come together to heal the festering local wounds.  Notably absent was the reality of racism and hate practiced in New Rochelle. 

This vigil for unity came on the heels of the successful school board campaigns of two white women from the north end of New Rochelle against a highly qualified Hispanic educator and an allied Black CPA.  The campaigns of both women were fueled by false charges of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism against the Hispanic candidate of color. These outrageous and hateful attacks can be viewed here and here.

This weaponization of hate in a public school district with 75% students of color has led to the replacement of two school board members of color with two white women from a community in which many students attend private schools.

There were no prayers at this anti-hate vigil for unity against hate in campaigns for local office — particularly elections concerning children.

It is telling that the divisiveness is so fraught in New Rochelle that many people hearing about the Inter-Religious Coalition’s prayer vigil did not initially trust the call to all – including those opposed to the destruction of Gaza— to attend and leave politics aside. Those concerned wrote to elected officials in New Rochelle, Westchester County and Albany questioning whether this would end up being a rally to support Israel — replete with Israeli flags, talk of hostages and equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism — and whether it would really be safe for everyone to attend and wise for elected officials to participate.

The days leading up to the vigil against hate were filled with tension – even including an initial response from one clergy member that the “vigil” would in fact be a rally for Israel and those opposed to the ongoing destruction of Gaza would be better off not attending. Finally, those concerned were reassured, and many did attend.

Religious and political leaders at the “Faith Against Hate” rally at City Hall on June 18.

The vigil was a success, and it is not too late to address the real and underlying causes of mistrust and ill will, and to demand not the absence of politics — democratic politics about the distribution of resources including schools, housing, jobs, transportation, parks, clean air and climate justice — but to demand the absence of racism.

And just as one of the Jewish clergy asked the crowd to have no doubt that Jews are under attack, there can be no doubt that democracy here in New Rochelle is under attack.  Many New Rochelleans believe it is time to call out and stop the weaponization of hate to deprive Black and brown people in New Rochelle of their voice in city and school governance, and time to allow all citizens and residents to participate fully and fairly in the political process..