In late October, Philly Bike On Your Left, a pro-Palestinian social cycling group, announced plans for a protest, scheduled to take place on November 8 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The group presented the protest as an effort to “highlight ongoing death and destruction in the West Bank and Gaza.”
In an Instagram post, Philly Bike On Your Left called for people to ride around Rittenhouse Square to “show these Zionist business owners that we see them for the genocidal humans they are.” They went on to list the names of several Jewish owned businesses in the area, stating these “Zionist establishments” in the city “must go.”
When I heard about this planned protest, I was disheartened. The event read more like an attack on Israel and the Jewish people rather than a way to show support for the Palestinian people.
I also found the timing of the event questionable, as it was scheduled to take place on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, a somber date in Jewish history. On November 9, 1938, Nazis across Germany vandalized thousands of Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues, and homes, in addition to humiliating, assaulting, and murdering Jews throughout the country. When questioned about the timing of the cycling group’s planned protest, supporters dismissed it as nothing more than a coincidence.
Often times, in the midst of attempts to spread hate, good prevails. In this case, residents of Philadelphia stepped up, patronizing the Jewish-owned businesses listed in the social media post. Some of the businesses were so busy that customers had to wait in hours-long lines to eat, shop, etc.
The event was also condemned by local and state leaders. Philadelphia’s Mayor Cherelle Parker said, “Everyone has the right to peacefully protest and express their political views but singling out businesses because their owners are Jewish is unacceptable and has no place in our city.”
Reading these stories reaffirmed that there are still many people who stand with Israel and the Jewish people. I know that many people in our community would have come out to support the businesses had distance not been a barrier. And while driving to a city eight hours away to show our support might be unrealistic for the vast majority of us, there is something we can do to show our support ~ not only in this scenario, but others as well.
Jewish Federations of North America has created One Mitzvah a Day, a simple way to thank those showing up for the Jewish community. When you sign up for One Mitzvah a Day, you will receive a text each weekday asking you to perform a simple Mitzvah via text or email. It can be anything from thanking someone for standing up against antisemitism to thanking an ally of the Jewish community for supporting us. Click here for more information and to sign up.
In a world full of darkness, you can be a light for Jews around the world.
