During the Shabbat after Simchat Torah, I was sitting with my friend and her three younger sister’s in Chicago when we heard a banging at the door. Her mother rushed downstairs to find a member of Hatzalah, a Jewish all-volunteer Emergency Medical Service organization. He was there to tell her the unimaginable news: her husband, my friend’s dad, had been shot while walking to synagogue.
When we were told what had occurred I was shocked, scared and selfishly grateful that I had not been there. Thankfully, my friend’s dad was released from the hospital and is in the process of recovering, but this incident serves as a jarring example of how our leadership is failing to protect Jewish people.
After this frightening experience, I expected that local government officials would work to ensure the safety of Jews in Chicago and around the country. Yet, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson shamefully failed to acknowledge this growing issue and address the fear and anger felt by so many Jewish people across the country.
Johnson’s office originally came out with a statement saying, “Mayor Johnson’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the victim and his loved ones from this weekend’s shooting incident that took place in Rogers Park … All Chicagoans deserve to feel safe and protected across the city. There is more work to be done, and we are committed to diligently improving community safety in every neighborhood.”
This response left me wondering why Johnson did not acknowledge the fact that the victim was an Orthodox, visibly Jewish man simply walking to synagogue. Why did he not mention how, according to the Jewish United Fund, the shooter screamed “Allahu Akbar” before shooting at police officers and paramedics?
By saying that “All Chicagoans deserve to feel safe and protected,” he is downplaying the specific fear that Jews are experiencing. He is failing to acknowledge how antisemitism in Chicago has increased by 46% since 2023, with 70 documented incidents in 2024 alone. This is not just another attack; it is part of the clear and escalating wave of antisemitism.
A few days later Johnson came out with a new statement saying, “A place of worship is a sacred place. We are all working together to put an end to the hatred of our Jewish siblings.” Johnson faced a lot of backlash from the Chicago Jewish community, and likely felt pressured to come out with a statement correcting what he said. However, this does not make up for the original statement and is frankly just weak leadership.
It is disgraceful and alarming how our leaders are so quick to call out various forms of discrimination but are so cautious to call out antisemitism. In 2024, diversity, equity and inclusion are so prioritized yet when it comes to Jewish people, there seems to be an exception. By failing to acknowledge antisemitism where it clearly exists, our leaders are just reinforcing these dangerous double standards.
If our leaders are truly committed to creating a society where all people are safe and welcome, then they must call out acts of antisemitism and actively help to fix them. If our elected leaders, those who are supposed to look out for the interests and rights of the people, don’t call out antisemitism, who will?
