Life today seems to have our Jewish community constantly moving from one issue, crisis or challenge to another. I believe that no other community has responded to crises as effectively as Pittsburgh. This resilience began with the brutal and deadly synagogue attack on October 27, 2018. Since then, we have navigated a global pandemic, supported the Jewish community in Ukraine, raised significant funds for the people of Israel, successfully opposed an anti-Israel referendum attempt and have continued to fight against an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents in Pittsburgh. Now, a new challenge has emerged.
Last year, as mentioned above, our Federation, in partnership with other organizations, successfully defeated an attempt to place an anti-Israel/antisemitic referendum on Pittsburgh’s primary ballot. It was a significant victory for our community. However, we anticipated that these anti-Israel forces would return better organized—and they have. They are already collecting signatures for a new petition to include another referendum on the city’s May primary ballot. We are preparing to fight back once again, and we will need your help. This effort will require the collective strength of our community and our allies to push back against these hateful initiatives.
Soon, you will see bus stop advertisements urging people not to sign the petition, which seeks to place this referendum on the May ballot. We are engaging legal counsel and seeking support from experts within and outside Pittsburgh. Please encourage your friends, family and co-workers not to sign the petition if approached. Not only does this referendum single out Israel, but it also poses significant economic risks to our already financially struggling city.
The Jewish Chronicle covered this referendum initiative in its latest edition: “Anti-Israel Activists Renew BDS Referendum Initiative”. Please read the article to gain further background on this issue.
As we unite to defeat this anti-Israel action, let’s also extend our support to the Jewish community in Los Angeles. You can contribute to that effort by visiting the Emergency Relief page.
Whether it’s responding to real fires in Los Angeles or metaphorical fires in Pittsburgh, we will always rise to the challenge and stand together as a community.