Richmond Jewish community reflects ahead of October 7 anniversary
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel. Today, the conflict is still ongoing, and the Richmond Jewish community is speaking out about the national rise in antisemitism. "By the time I turned on my phone and started getting tons of messages, that's when I knew that it was going to take me, not hours, but days, to process what had happened," said Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue Rabbi Dovid Asher. "I think we're still processing it, but back then, it was just like... kind of getting punched in the head and just trying to come to your senses.” Rabbi Asher said Oct. 7 of last year was the ending of Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday the community was celebrating. He said the day took a turn once he was able to step back and read what had happened. “To a great extent, the American Jewish experience has changed in the last year," Rabbi Asher said. "And what we've known for the last several decades now feels very different, and it's uncomfortable.” The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that tracks hate crimes, reported an over 140% increase in antisemitic incidents nationally in 2023 compared to the previous year. The surge in incidents rose in the three months following the October 7 attack. “We have been verbally accosted and kind of screamed at from ignorant people making ignorant comments along Paterson Avenue," he said. "I myself, personally, saw a lot of antisemitism at Richmond City Council meetings, just people who are really ill-informed.” As the conflict in the Middle East continues, the toll on both Palestinian and Israeli lives has been significant. Rabbi Asher emphasized the importance of coming together to mourn innocent lives lost on both sides. “We all mourn that," he said. "We denounce all the anti-Muslim rhetoric that we see as well. Those are kind of the two dominant demographics that are in this conflict across the ocean. We both come, we all come from Abraham or an Abrahamic faith. And this is not a conflict between Muslims and Jews; it’s a conflict between radicals and peace-loving, freedom-loving peoples.”
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a series of attacks on Israel.
Today, the conflict is still ongoing, and the Richmond Jewish community is speaking out about the national rise in antisemitism.
"By the time I turned on my phone and started getting tons of messages, that's when I knew that it was going to take me, not hours, but days, to process what had happened," said Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue Rabbi Dovid Asher. "I think we're still processing it, but back then, it was just like... kind of getting punched in the head and just trying to come to your senses.”
Rabbi Asher said Oct. 7 of last year was the ending of Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday the community was celebrating. He said the day took a turn once he was able to step back and read what had happened.
“To a great extent, the American Jewish experience has changed in the last year," Rabbi Asher said. "And what we've known for the last several decades now feels very different, and it's uncomfortable.”
The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that tracks hate crimes, reported an over 140% increase in antisemitic incidents nationally in 2023 compared to the previous year. The surge in incidents rose in the three months following the October 7 attack.
“We have been verbally accosted and kind of screamed at from ignorant people making ignorant comments along Paterson Avenue," he said. "I myself, personally, saw a lot of antisemitism at Richmond City Council meetings, just people who are really ill-informed.”
As the conflict in the Middle East continues, the toll on both Palestinian and Israeli lives has been significant. Rabbi Asher emphasized the importance of coming together to mourn innocent lives lost on both sides.
“We all mourn that," he said. "We denounce all the anti-Muslim rhetoric that we see as well. Those are kind of the two dominant demographics that are in this conflict across the ocean. We both come, we all come from Abraham or an Abrahamic faith. And this is not a conflict between Muslims and Jews; it’s a conflict between radicals and peace-loving, freedom-loving peoples.”
