Featured letter: Demonstration of support is encouraging

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Last Saturday morning, on International Holocaust Memorial Day, members of the Sgoolai Israel Synagogue in downtown Fredericton awoke to signs of hatred and prejudice toward them; in broken windows at the entrance of their synagogue. The breaking of windows is a direct overt act of terror and antisemitism which engenders the horror of Kristallnacht (1938, Germany), where 7,500 Jewish stores and windows were shattered.

Shout out to Julie Smith, her friends and community members who rallied together in solidarity and support for the Jewish community in Fredericton. This demonstration of compassion, concern and immediate affirmative response is very encouraging. Your act of supporting human dignity is huge.

May we remain a community open and receptive to faith, immigrants and diversity. People from within Canada and across the world come to Fredericton for security, peace and a place that is liveable. One immigrant recently said to me “security here is priceless.”

Julie and friends remind us any hurt of one is hurt of all of us. And any good builds up the community for all of us, This common gathering of goodwill is curative and restores some hope of what was taken through an unjustified act of violence.

There is no place in our community for antisemitism, hatred, discrimination nor intimidation through violence. Elie Wiesel said “No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.” May we too, stand up for human dignity and diversity.

With respect and love to all our Fredericton community and those who lift each other up,

Janice Ryan

Fredericton