To: Rabbi Marvin Hier, Founder and Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Museum of Tolerance, Larry A. Mizel, Chairman, Simon Wiesenthal Center Board of Trustees, and Simon Wiesenthal Center Board of Trustees Members
Rabbi Marvin Hier must condemn anti-Semitism
We plead with Rabbi Marvin Hier, as a vital moral voice in our community, to immediately and unequivocally speak out and condemn President Trump’s pattern of dangerous pandering to anti-Semitic tropes.
We further ask the Simon Wiesenthal Center Board of Trustees, as stewards of the Holocaust’s twin lessons of tolerance and the danger of silence, to join us in this urgent plea.
We further ask the Simon Wiesenthal Center Board of Trustees, as stewards of the Holocaust’s twin lessons of tolerance and the danger of silence, to join us in this urgent plea.
Why is this important?
President Trump has displayed a dangerous pattern of pandering to anti-Semitic tropes. He has:
» Retweeted a blatantly anti-Semitic image that originated on a neo-Nazi website¹.
» Revived and repeated the long standing anti-Semitic conspiracy of a global banking cabal².
» Pointedly and unapologetically did not mention the murder of 6 million Jews in his Holocaust Remembrance Day statement³.
» Brought into the White House and elevated to a position of power Steve Bannon, a man well known for flirting with anti-Semitism⁴ ⁵.
Rabbi Marvin Hier has an obligation to speak out because:
» He is a highly prominent rabbi and community leader, known for his voice of moral clarity⁶ ⁷.
» He is the Founder, President and Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center; an organization whose express mission is to confront anti-Semetism & hate in the world and to teach “the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations”⁸.
» He spoke and delivered a prayer at Trump’s inauguration⁹ ¹⁰.
Given all this, Rabbi Marvin Hier’s silence on this important issue cannot help but be interpreted as granting a fig leaf of morality where none is deserved. Having taken on the role of defending the memory of those murdered in the Holocaust and ensuring that future generations never forget the twin lessons of tolerance and the danger of silence, now is time for you to take a stand.
Dear Rabbi Hier, in these troubled times your voice is sorely needed.
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[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/04/us/politics/donald-trumps-star-of-david-tweet-came-from-a-fringe-website-a-report-says.html
[2] http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-rolls-out-anti-semitic-closing-ad
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/28/white-house-defends-trump-holocaust-statement-that-didnt-mention-jews
[4] https://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/11/13/white-nationalist-who-hates-jews-will-be-trumps-right-hand-man-white-house/214419
[5] http://www.timesofisrael.com/stephen-bannon-5-things-jews-need-to-know/
[6] http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441311
[7] http://www.newsweek.com/50-most-influential-rabbis-america-73545
[8] http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441471
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nxAi9WEf5g
[10] http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/222375/trumps-inauguration-rabbi-facing-criticism-defends-his-choice
» Retweeted a blatantly anti-Semitic image that originated on a neo-Nazi website¹.
» Revived and repeated the long standing anti-Semitic conspiracy of a global banking cabal².
» Pointedly and unapologetically did not mention the murder of 6 million Jews in his Holocaust Remembrance Day statement³.
» Brought into the White House and elevated to a position of power Steve Bannon, a man well known for flirting with anti-Semitism⁴ ⁵.
Rabbi Marvin Hier has an obligation to speak out because:
» He is a highly prominent rabbi and community leader, known for his voice of moral clarity⁶ ⁷.
» He is the Founder, President and Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center; an organization whose express mission is to confront anti-Semetism & hate in the world and to teach “the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations”⁸.
» He spoke and delivered a prayer at Trump’s inauguration⁹ ¹⁰.
Given all this, Rabbi Marvin Hier’s silence on this important issue cannot help but be interpreted as granting a fig leaf of morality where none is deserved. Having taken on the role of defending the memory of those murdered in the Holocaust and ensuring that future generations never forget the twin lessons of tolerance and the danger of silence, now is time for you to take a stand.
Dear Rabbi Hier, in these troubled times your voice is sorely needed.
----
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/04/us/politics/donald-trumps-star-of-david-tweet-came-from-a-fringe-website-a-report-says.html
[2] http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-rolls-out-anti-semitic-closing-ad
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/28/white-house-defends-trump-holocaust-statement-that-didnt-mention-jews
[4] https://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/11/13/white-nationalist-who-hates-jews-will-be-trumps-right-hand-man-white-house/214419
[5] http://www.timesofisrael.com/stephen-bannon-5-things-jews-need-to-know/
[6] http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441311
[7] http://www.newsweek.com/50-most-influential-rabbis-america-73545
[8] http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441471
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nxAi9WEf5g
[10] http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/222375/trumps-inauguration-rabbi-facing-criticism-defends-his-choice