Six months ago in the face of the desecration of Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, we stood together with an array of religious and political leadership, including the Vice President, to “name it, condemn it, and do something about it.”  

In the aftermath of Charlottesville, those words could not be more apt. 

Our community’s institutions have now joined the national dialogue to name and condemn what happened in Virginia. Federation’s Holocaust Museum and Learning Center declared, “the history and lessons of the Holocaust teach us that we must not remain silent when events like this occur.”  The St. Louis Jewish Community Relations Council “condemn[ed] the violent, racist, anti-Semitic, hate-filled rally by white nationalist groups in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday.”  

And in front of hundreds gathered to hear Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer address our community, we observed a moment of silence and shared these words from the Jewish Federations of North America: “This display of hate, bigotry, racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism by white supremacists has no place in America. We are horrified and sickened by the messages spewed at the rally [in Charlottesville], and by the deaths and injuries sustained.” Ambassador Dermer and Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens directly and clearly named and condemned the events using similar language. 

“Naming and condemning” signals our aspirations towards creating a just society, a good society, and a society built upon a foundation of decency and justice.  It says loudly and clearly that no matter how far from the ideal we may currently be, the moral principles upon which we stand are unwavering. 

I believe President Donald Trump’s inability to clearly “name and condemn” the events in Charlottesville shook our nation’s confidence in that foundation.  It raised the concern that we may no longer be standing on that secure bedrock that can sustain us even in the most difficult times. 

I believe that we as Americans are better than that.  I believe that our history and values particularly as Jewish Americans, our commitment to what is right and just will allow us to resist even those who will not name and condemn evil.  And I believe that our commitment to those values will help restore our nation’s trajectory towards freedom and equality, decency and justice for all.  

But to get there we must move from “naming and condemning” to doing something about the hate we see. 

First, let us stand as we have in the past with those who are under attack, be they in our own community or outside of it.  To that end, last Friday the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis authorized funds to support the security of Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville, the scene of alarming intimidation by neo-Nazis earlier this month.  The allocation was a modest one as the Virginia Police have been strong supportive partners of the congregation. But it is critical that those who fear most know that they are not isolated.  And it is just as critical that we know, for ourselves, that we stand together with them. 

Second, it is up to each of us to make a commitment to be involved and support the work of groups that pursue the work of justice. For those of you involved in religious communities, draw on your congregations and their leadership for guidance and support.  And for all of us, get involved here in organizations that are turning the lessons of our history to fight hate and intolerance: the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the AJC, the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, the JCRC, and the National Council for Jewish Women (NCJW).  

And finally, let us double our efforts to treat each other civilly, lest it divide us needlessly. James Madison once explained that a decent republic depended on preventing violent faction from “communicating and coordinating” with each other.  Sadly, our corrosive public discourse, fueled by social media, has shown the wisdom of his words. 

At his talk Ambassador Dermer spoke eloquently about the differences between adversaries and enemies.  Adversaries, he explained, are those who disagree about how best to achieve shared ends.  By contrast, he explained, enemies simply want your destruction.   

White supremacists, racists and neo-Nazis are our enemies.  But the means by which we come together to oppose them and their allies must be characterized by civility to one another.  If we must, let us disagree about the best path to fight this reemergence of hate without letting that disagreement destroy the very fabric of the society we are committed to supporting. 

Last February I walked amidst the desecration of Chesed Shel Emeth with Vice President Mike Pence and we spoke about what a terrible wave of hate is overcoming the nation.  And he turned to me and asked, “Andrew, why is this happening now?”  

I had no words to respond.  

But we must. 

Name it. Condemn it. And do something about it.  I hope you will join me as we use our shared values as Jewish Americans to strengthen our community and reclaim the foundations upon which our nation stands.