‘We will never go quietly into the night’
Queens voices unify against hate at Forest Hills rally amid spate of anti-Semitic attacks
BY TODD MAISEL
Several hundred people
jammed into MacDonald Park
in Queens on Sunday, where
Jewish leaders and representatives
of various faiths demonstrated
a united stance against
hate and anti-Semitism.
Demonstrators carried signs
showing their dismay over the
hate attacks, especially after
the Hanukkah stabbing attack
at a rabbi’s home in upstate
Monsey and the murder of four
people at a kosher supermarket
in Jersey City last month. Both
violent acts were hate crimes.
Members of the ecumenical
crowd spoke at this rally, while
elected officials stood back and
watched. Rabbis, imams, priests
and other orthodox Jewish leaders
slammed the attacks.
Ethan Felder, an organizer
of the event and an assistant
general counsel for the SEIU
union said, “No racist organization
will ever destroy American
aspirations.”
“I am a proud American Jew
and we are one borough and we
are better together – and there
are those who are here who are
not Jewish and we thank you
for being here with us,” Felder
said. “We have always been a
borough of faith and family for
all people and we will not let
racists change that.”
Jeff Kohn, an organizer of
the event, said, “Jews who are
visibly Jewish are under attack
in our city.” He said they
are both being physically and
verbally abused, and “when
those who stay silent and do not
speak up, all Jews suffer.”
He recalled his own grandfather,
Moshe Kohn, who when
he was 17 in Nazi Germany.
The Nazis had burned his shul
down and destroyed his parents’
business.
“One of 10 children, he and
his brother and sister fled Germany.
His parents sent them
away so that ‘things could settle
down’ – ‘this too shall pass.’
He would never see his parents
again. We will never go quietly
into the night,” Kohn said.
Amy Geffen stood with
friends holding signs against
hate. She said she worries that
this could get worse.
“We are here because this
country is turning into police
state, there is too much violence,”
Geffen said. “This is not
German in 1939. This is the
United States in 2020, and we
have to make sure people are
safe, no matter their ethnicity,
Hundreds of Queens residents stood together at McDonald Park to demonstrate against hate and anti-Semitism. Photo by Todd Maisel
their background or their religion.
”A line of children were
also on hand from the Reform
Temple of Forest Hills holding
a banner for their school.
“We are here to stop hate,
and stop anti-Semitism – people
are being mean to Jews, and we
need to make people not being
mean to Jews or anyone, other
wise we are in danger,” said
8-year-old Lily Goldfarb of Forest
Hills.
District Attorney Melinda
Katz stood by listening to the
speakers, ready to prosecute
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.4 COM | JAN. 17-JAN. 23, 2020
Photo by Todd Maisel
anyone who attacks people out
of hate. But she said it was important
for all religious institutions
to stand together on the
issue.
“This is a great time to be
a Queens resident – we are
all getting together in central
Queens because when one of us
attacked it is important show
people that we will all stand
together,” Katz said. “Whether
it is a mosque or synagogue, an
African-American Church, all
religious institutions have to
make sure we have each others
back.”
Photo by Dean Moses
Photo by Dean Moses