Boston suburb grapples with anti-Semitism, allegations of a whitewash

NEWTON, Massachusetts — With demands for “transparency” and “accountability” in the school district’s curriculum, more than 100 community members attended a forum on the issue of anti-Semitism in Newton, Massachusetts, Tuesday night.

Following several months of anti-Jewish hate incidents in the Boston suburb, Newton Mayor Setti Warren assured the audience that steps are being taken to address anti-Semitism in schools and the leafy suburb at large, home to nearly 30,000 Jews. Warren asked for the audience’s help “as we flesh out what this is going to look like city-wide,” he said.

“That curricular decision has to be made by the superintendent,” said Warren of some audience members’ demand that Newton schools publicly release lesson plans with allegedly anti-Semitic content. As one of nine people on the city’s powerful school committee, Warren has been unable to move the dial on the group’s alleged lack of transparency during two months of heated debate on the issue.

Following a highly contentious April 7 meeting on the topic, last night’s gathering was marked by civility and hand-raising from a largely Israeli-American audience. Organized by several local Jewish organizations, the discussion was hosted in the Israeli American Council’s (IAC) Newton headquarters.

Opening the conversation, IAC co-chair Ilan Segev called for a show of solidarity with the people of Orlando and Tel Aviv as they recover from terror attacks. He said those attacks are “what happens when you do not fight ignorance and hate head-on.” Segev warned that the increase of anti-Semitic incidents in Newton — with its highly organized Jewish community and abundant educational resources — does not bode well for the rest of the country.

“This evening is not going to be about politically correct terminology,” said Segev, who accused Newton school officials of “sweeping [anti-Semitism] under the rug” and implementing a curriculum funded by the Saudi Arabian government. He also ripped into the school district for using PLO-created maps in classrooms, and for allowing teachers to “skip” units on the Holocaust.

Massachusetts has seen more anti-Semitic incidents during the first five months of 2016 than all of 2015

Calling anti-Semitism “an attack and a scourge against the Jewish people,” mayor Warren spoke about steps he has taken in response to recent anti-Jewish hate incidents, including increased training for teachers and a strengthening of protocols related to handling anti-Semitic incidents in schools.

According to panelist Robert Trestan, head of the Anti-Defamation League’s Boston chapter, Massachusetts has seen more anti-Semitic incidents during the first five months of 2016 than all of 2015. Four synagogues have been defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti since the last week of May, and the region at large is experiencing “a real elevation” in anti-Jewish hate incidents, he said.

“We do not want this to become the mainstreaming of hate,” said Trestan of the need to confront anti-Semitism. “If we don’t take action now it’s going to be too late,” he said Trestan and reminded the audience that Jews have been the top target of religious hate attacks for decades, as monitored by the FBI.

“I was angry because of the lack of reporting,” said Warren of anti-Semitic incidents that took place in schools prior to January, none of which were reported to police at the time. Calling for “a sustained effort over time,” the mayor announced plans to hold an annual, public check-in each April, and to post about the issue on the city’s website. He also criticized the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for working “at cross purposes” with what he is trying to accomplish.

‘Think about anti-Semitism through the lens of being attacked by racism’

“We have to bring back Facing History and Ourselves,” said Warren, referring to the Boston-based Holocaust and genocide education group, which had been a fixture in Newton schools until recently.

A veteran of the Iraq War, the 45-year-old Warren has been to Israel three times in the past four years. To strengthen ties between the Jewish state and Newton, he proposed pairing the town with an Israeli “sister city,” and for an Israeli university to open offices in Newton. As Massachusetts’ first elected black mayor, Warren also spoke about his parents teaching him to “think about anti-Semitism through the lens of being attacked by racism,” he said.

Despite Warren’s efforts, critics have accused him, the school committee, and the superintendent of allegedly ignoring incidents and of suffering from a “credibility gap” when it comes to vetting classroom content for anti-Semitism.

Harsh criticism of Newton’s school committee and other officials came from Charles Jacobs, head of event co-sponsor Americans for Peace and Tolerance and producer of the new video “Indoctrination @ Newton High,” about anti-Semitic content in Newton classrooms.

“It’s not up to us to find that stuff,” said Jacobs of the hate-based content found in lessons, maps and other materials. According to Jacobs, it is the school committee’s mandate to weed it out and remove teachers demonizing “the apartheid state of Israel,” which are far more damaging than swastikas painted on basketball courts or park benches, he said.

One attendee called for the dismissal of David Fleishman, the superintendent whose denial of knowing about anti-Semitic content set off a firestorm during the April meeting. Another participant urged Newton Jews to “take over the school committee” and tackle the issue of anti-Semitism from within.

“Let’s organize your town and do the job,” said Michael Sapers, who identified himself as the grandfather of children in Newton schools.