Our Community Demands Protection

Dear Community,

We share your outrage at the protest and disruption of an event that took place on Wednesday at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, the oldest Jewish congregation in Los Angeles. It is another painful reminder of the antisemitism our community continues to experience. The event, led by the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, brought together Korean-American and Jewish community leaders to address issues of safety and security. It was designed to promote bridge-building, learning, and dialogue among the Israeli, Jewish, and AAPI communities. Instead, it became the backdrop for hate as an antisemitic protest erupted both outside and inside the synagogue.

Those involved in the protest harassed, intimidated, and vandalized. This behavior will not be tolerated or normalized. Our Jewish community, like all other communities, has the fundamental right to gather in our sacred places in peace, without fear of being targeted or harmed.

Recent data shows the urgency of this moment. Levels of antisemitic incidents are at an all-time high. According to this week’s data released by the Los Angeles County Hate Crimes Commission, 80% of all religiously motivated hate crimes — 259 incidents — targeted the Jewish community in 2024. This represents the second-highest number of anti-Jewish hate crimes ever recorded in L.A. County.

Yesterday’s incident also marks the second time that a major protest targeted a Los Angeles synagogue. Just 18 months ago, masked, anti-Israel protesters blocked access to Adas Torah synagogue in the Pico-Robertson area, leading to violent attacks on community members. After Adas Torah, the community asked for tangible support, but few visible steps were taken. What happened at Wilshire Boulevard Temple proves, once again, how urgently our community needs more protection and security.

In response, JFEDLA took the following steps:  

• We shared this statement shortly after the incident. 
• Our President & CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas wrote an op-ed in the Jewish Journal, demanding action from our elected leaders to protect Jewish life in our city.
• We called upon our elected leaders representing Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s district to condemn the antisemitic protest.
• Our Community Security Initiative (CSI) is in close contact with local and federal law enforcement and shared a security advisory and action items with Jewish institutions throughout its Southern California catchment area. This includes best practices for future events, managing the impact of protests, and reporting incidents.
• We reached out to all our AAPI Civic Partners, many of whom were present at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple event, to offer support and help them understand our concerns.

Here’s what you can do to take action:  

• Join us in thanking the leaders who spoke out against the incident: Congressman Brad Sherman, Assemblymembers Rick Zbur and Jesse Gabriel, Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, and Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky. 
• Be force multipliers: if you see suspicious activity or witness/experience an antisemitic incident, report it to your local law enforcement agency immediately. If you live in the City of Los Angeles, report hate incidents to LAPD. If you live outside of LAPD’s jurisdiction, report incidents to the Joint Regional Intelligence Center. Always report to CSI after reporting to law enforcement first.
• If you want to stay informed as this issue develops and received this email from a friend, join our mailing list now.

We hope you and your loved ones stay safe during this challenging time for our community.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Orna Wolens
Chair of the Board

Rabbi Noah Farkas
President & CEO