The Jewish Federation presents ILLUMINATE on Saturday, November 15 at The Loft at 8^th Avenue. It is a night of dancing, food, drink (including a vodka tasting from KACHKA), and community! Everyone deserves a night out with longtime friends and new friends. Tickets are only $50 per person and you can buy your tickets here. Do not miss the most fun event of the season and the opportunity to come together!

It amazes me that the ceasefire is not even a week old and several elected officials in Portland are already pushing their anti-Israel agenda.

The Jewish Federation learned that at 1:00 p.m. today there will be a virtual press conference where four Portland city councilors -- Tiffany Koyama Lane, Mitch Green, Sameer Kanal, and Angelita Morillo -- will announce a pledge:

“To investigate any complicity our city may have with Israel’s illegal occupation, apartheid, or genocidal violence against Palestinians, including but not limited to:

• The manufacturing of weapons and weapons parts intended for use by the Israeli military within city limits.

• Transport of weapons, weapons parts, and dual use items destined for Israel out of city ports, where applicable.

• Investments in or contracts with companies complicit in Israeli illegal occupation, apartheid, or genocidal violence against Palestinians, including Israel Bonds.

• Any other diplomatic ties between the city and the Israeli government, including through sister city relationships and training/exchange programs. (MB - Portland has had a sister-city relationship with Ashkelon since 1987.)

We also call for the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza immediately, unconditionally, and at scale; an immediate, permanent ceasefire; and an immediate, permanent end to the illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide.

The purpose of the pledge is to provide city officials an opportunity to step in where Congress and other leaders are failing to act in ending the US support for Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, which is expected to continue despite the ceasefire agreement.”

The press release went on to clearly state that “all four city councilors are members of the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)."

Just so you know where the DSA stands, they put out this statement earlier this week after the ceasefire began basically saying Israel will not honor the negotiated agreement, it terrorizes the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Qatar, and Iran with the threat of nuclear weapons, and that Israel and its allies must be held accountable for their decades long war crimes and imperial aggression.

It is disturbing that these four elected officials cannot provide any hopeful message about the ceasefire. Nor can they be happy for those hostages who have been returned to their families after 738 days (or demand that Hamas return the 19 hostage bodies remaining in Gaza, which was part of the agreement). There is no outcry against Hamas for their recent public executions of rival groups in Gaza. They cannot even acknowledge the potential path forward towards peace in the region.

These four elected officials are amplifying their hate against the Jewish state. Their goals are divisive and inflammatory. Our city has enough challenges. It would be best if our local elected officials focus their attention on serious issues in Portland – houselessness, public safety, taxes, downtown vacancy rates, and so much more!

One city official shared, “This reeks of antisemitism and anti-Israel hate, particularly given the timing. They are upset they did not get to bring the other anti-Israel resolution they wanted prior to the ceasefire.”

Another commented, "This is not productive or helpful and only feeds hate."

We are doing our due diligence. We are in communication with city councilors and elected officials. We are waiting to see what comes from the press conference at 1:00. This may be only the beginning of a rash of anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions resolutions that come before our city and many others across the country.

Make your voice heard! Contact each City Council member to express your views:

Candace Avalos – District 1

Jamie Dunphy – District 1

Loretta Smith – District 1

Dan Ryan – District 2

Elana Pirtle-Guiney – District 2

Sameer Kanal – District 2 – author of pledge

Angelita Morillo – District 3 – author of pledge

Steve Novick – District 3

Tiffany Koyama Lane – District 3 – author of pledge

Eric Zimmerman – District 4

Mitch Green – District 4 – author of pledge

Olivia Clark – District 4

Keith Wilson -- Mayor

To add more, tomorrow is the 18^th Annual Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference (NWTSJ) in Portland. NWTSJ strives to "promote equity and racial justice in the classroom. They encourage grassroots efforts in our schools and communities to enhance the learning and to build broad democratic movements for social and environmental justice. They work for peace and justice not only in the United States, but throughout the world, and oppose war, militarism, colonialism, and occupation.”

Let us be clear -- they oppose the State of Israel!

I encourage you to review the full conference schedule here. Here are just three of the sessions:

The Anti-Defamation League Is Not a Social Justice Partner: Here Is How We Get Them Out of Schools -- This interactive workshop will demonstrate in concrete terms why the ADL should be removed from schools for both political and pedagogical reasons.

Teaching the Seeds of Violence in Palestine-Israel -- Participants will explore the roots of today’s violence in Palestine-Israel. We meet early Zionists, Ottoman officials, Palestinian peasants and journalists, British leaders, a member of the Jewish Bund, and President Woodrow Wilson to search for the “seeds” of today’s violence.

Where Is Palestine in Children’s Literature? Strategies for Educators -- Teachers and librarians who explore the topic and the realities of settler colonialism and militarism are often met with threats and false accusations of antisemitism. This workshop will explore strategies and resources as part of an antiracist, anticolonial approach to history.

Here is one commentary about the conference that may be of interest.

Following the release of the hostages, the ceasefire, and the joy of Simchat Torah, this all feels wrong. It is as if we are back to October 8, 2023 with anti-Israel hate being spread across our community.

Our Jewish community is better than that! Join us for a community gathering to celebrate the release of the hostages and the ceasefire. It will be this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Neveh Shalom. Register here.

Shabbat shalom.

PS -- As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting mental health in our community -- particularly among teens -- we are working with Jewish Family & Child Service and Moving Traditions, a national organization dedicated to the wellness of Jewish teens. You are invited to join us for two engaging sessions on October 19 at Congregation Neveh Shalom and October 20 at the Eastside Jewish Commons. These events will focus on timely topics relevant to parents and caregivers of teens. Learn more and register here.