In a Sept. 3 letter to the editor, Rabbi Emeritus Mark Shook responded to an op-ed of mine published in the Light and accused me of suggesting that “when the going gets tough for Jews in America, the Jews are supposed to just up and leave the problems to someone else.”

Not only did I never say that, I do not believe that at all. Those who know me know that ever since I moved to St. Louis from Israel 26 years ago, I have spent numerous hours advocating for Israel. To that end, I co-founded St. Louis Friends of Israel in 2017, which has sponsored and/or participated in over 40 pro-Israel events in St. Louis. I believe that to live in America and to advocate for Israel is holy work.

Nowhere in my editorial did I ever imply that America’s Jews are silent in the face of rising antisemitism or that our community institutions are powerless failures, as alleged by Rabbi Shook. I agree that defending our community against antisemitism requires work, and I applaud and support such efforts. I have never advocated for “turning our backs and walking away.”

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St. Louis Friends of Israel is committed to fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel. Currently, we are offering a grant of up to $2,000 for non-profit organizations that wish to hold a pro-Israel event. Interested organizations should apply on our website at: www.stlouisfriendsofisrael.com/news/grant