GEORGIA (VINnews) — The overwhelmingly positive response by Chabad congregants in Georgia, following a despicable display by antisemites last weekend in front of their shul, has made national headlines, and has become a huge Kiddush Hashem.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a story about the kehilla’s unity entitled, “Fighting darkness with light: Community united after Neo-Nazi rally at synagogue.”
Breitbart News published an article entitled “Congregants Counter with Positivity After Neo-Nazi Display Outside Georgia Synagogue”
Here is an excerpt from that story:
“A small group of neo-Nazis who posed with flags outside Georgia synagogues on Saturday were countered by displays of goodwill and tolerance from the very Jewish communities they set out to antagonize.
“Chabad.org reports as congregants were arriving for Saturday afternoon services at Chabad-Lubavitch of Cobb County, in Marietta. Ga., 12 members of an antisemitic hate group brandished antisemitic posters and swastika flags at them.
“‘They were standing in front as I was walking up to the shul,’” Rabbi Ephraim Silverman told Chabad.org.
‘“Obviously, I was not very happy to see them, but I am aware that their tactic is to provoke and get a response. Instead, I nodded to the police who were there and thanked them for their support. I went inside, where we had a beautiful Minchah prayer service and a larger-than-usual crowd for Havdalah at the close of Shabbat.’”
“The outlet went on to report that as word spread of the vile displays, peaceful but indignant counter-protests were held and calls for positive but firm responses in the face of growing antisemitism.
“The rabbi further explained:
‘Ironically, this hateful group has shown us how many friends and how much support we have in the Jewish and non-Jewish community here in East Cobb. The outpouring of support from clergy and individuals of all walks of life has been unbelievable.
‘People need to know that 99% of the population totally abhors any expression of hate. East Cobb has been a wonderful home to a flourishing Jewish community for many years. These individuals do not represent the sentiments of the citizens of East Cobb.’
The piece in the Atlanta JC said, “Rabbi Silverman reiterated that the best way to combat darkness is to ‘turn on the lights.’”
“‘It’s more important on how we capitalize on this to make the community better, inspire people lift people up and focus on the positive that’s out there,” he said. “The vast majority of people in this city are wonderful … and we shouldn’t allow a few pathetic individuals to take away from how we see our neighbors’.”
Gov. Brian Kemp, and Georgia U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, all condemned the heinous display
“There absolutely is no place for this hate and antisemitism in our state,” Kemp wrote in a Sunday morning tweet. “We remain vigilant in the face of these disgusting acts of bigotry.”
Ossoff said the Jewish community in Georgia “will never be intimidated by anti-Semitism.”
“Today, as symbols of genocide were paraded in front of synagogues, we continue to stand strong, proud, and unbowed,” he added.
Why did Vin erase all the other comments? So dishonest of them.
How can you advocate violence against chabad ? I dislike chabad as much as anyone, but I would never advocate for them them to be beaten to an inch of their lives. Just horrible sinas chinam.
12 comments listed but only 2 visible.
Unclear who u are referring to here?
I hope the anti semites
I guess we can now emend the aphorism, “There are only three sure things in life, death, taxes and mainstream Judaism verbally duking it out with Chabad.” Come to think of it it’s still only two because Chabad never got that death thing down pat.
Support Chabad of Cobb County! Donate at chabadofcobb (all one word) dot com.
They actually wanted the latter even more. More publicity, maybe even some sympathy.
“The souls of the world eminate from a klippah which is devoid of any holiness and irredeemable”. wake up sleepy heads, this is chabad philosophy , right from chapter 1 of the Tanya. If I was a gentile I would hate every Jew I see. The problem is not every jew believes this nonsense but to the average gentile chabad represents Judaism because they are every where. Because of this, average Jews who believe in the concept of elevating man, and showing man their own goodness, with no preconditions or judgments, are viewed with contempt due to chabad’s egotrip haskafah and fairy tale narcissistic behavior which puts themselves on a big pedastool looking down at humanity with nothing but contempt.