By Suzanne Holwitt and Shelley Hubal

“It’s when the winds blow the hardest that you need the deepest roots.” – Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Dear friends, the wind is blowing like a hurricane. We are seeing antisemitism spread rapidly and viciously all over the world. The Bondi Beach massacre is the latest example of violent hatred perpetrated against Jewish people.
We want to share our most heartfelt sympathies for the families and friends of those murdered and injured during the Hanukkah celebration in Sydney. May their memories be a blessing to all that knew and loved them, and may the lessons of Hanukkah – hope, resilience and light over darkness – bring them and the rest of the collective Jewish community peace year-round.
Antisemitism is, at its roots, a conspiracy theory that blames the Jewish people for the world’s problems. It is among the oldest forms of hate and prejudice on the planet, and according to the Anti-Defamation League, the United States saw an 893 percent increase in antisemitic incidents between 2015 and 2024.
It is now, during this rise in hatred, that we must rely on our Jewish roots that teach us to be compassionate and to create a community where we “show up” for one another in good times and in bad. This is the core of the Jewish Federation and why we do the work we do. We know that together, along with our roots and traditions, we will have the fortitude to stand up to hate in all its forms and be able to sustain the community through any storm.
Sending our love and prayers to everyone in the Binghamton Jewish community and beyond for a safe and peaceful year to come.
Shelley Hubal is the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton and Suzanne Holwitt is Federation president.