We are living in interesting times. This week, three vastly different events caught my attention. On the surface they may seem unrelated: protests in Iran, a synagogue arson in Mississippi, and a wrestler no longer going to Israel. Yet together, they speak to themes we know all too well – courage, hatred, fear, solidarity, and the never-ending work of standing up for what is right.

Let’s start in Iran.

I remember as a child when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini came to power following the Iranian Revolution. He returned from 15 years in exile on February 1, 1979 and became Iran's first Supreme Leader in December of that year. He established an Islamic theocracy which dramatically impacted the lives of everyone, including the Jewish community in Iran.

Here we are 47 years later and we are again watching protests across Iran. Brave people are filling the streets (sadly, thousands have been killed), demanding a different future. These individuals are challenging a radical Islamic regime that has brought repression, suffering, and terror to its own people, the broader Middle East, and across the globe.

Could we see a change in the leadership soon in Iran? Will the United States, Israel, or other countries take stronger action? Will the protests fizzle out, or ignite something lasting? We simply do not know -- yet.

Turn to Jackson, Mississippi and an incident that hit much closer to home.

Earlier this week, I shared the horrible arson attack at Beth Israel Congregation. A sacred space – a place of prayer, joy, and community – was deliberately set on fire. What has been said, and this event proved it again, when one Jewish community is attacked, every Jewish community feels it.

I am humbled to share that we raised over $18,000 from hundreds of donors (most giving $18 or $36) to assist Beth Israel. We are grateful to people who have probably never been to Jackson, and may never go, who reached out with their generosity to help rebuild. You can still make a donation here.

We have since learned that the suspect, Stephen Spencer Pittman, was arrested and charged with “maliciously damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive.” He confessed to the FBI that he targeted the congregation due to its “Jewish ties” and referred to it as a “synagogue of Satan.” As Harlan Ellison wrote, “I know the smell of smoke born from hate.”

Now, I have shared that I enjoy professional wrestling (my mother’s fault). I have always appreciated the mix of athleticism, storytelling, and theater.

Priscilla Kelly – formerly known as “Gigi Dolin” in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) – announced on Sunday via social media that she would be heading to Israel to wrestle for the Israel Professional Wrestling Association (IPWA) at their Passover Bash 2026 (not quite Wrestlemania). Typically, this would never make the news.

Kelly received immediate backlash online, describing it as an “influx of violent messages,” simply for agreeing to go to Israel. This is straight out of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement’s playbook. Rather than promoting dialogue, cultural exchange, or understanding, the message is: “If you set foot in Israel, you will be punished.”

The messages reached such a level that Kelly deactivated her social media accounts and posted a statement that she would no longer be appearing and even apologized for considering it.

Think about that for a moment. Attending a pro wrestling/sports-entertainment event in Israel (she was not speaking at a political rally, nor endorsing a policy) was enough to trigger threats and vitriol so severe that she backed out and shut down her online presence. This is intimidation -- making engagement with Israel so toxic that entertainers, academics, and others decide it is not worth the risk to their safety or their careers.

Here is a statement from the IPWA. It is worth the read.

For the record, professional wrestling in Israel is not new. Some of you, and many Israelis, will remember that the "von Erich family" from Texas (see the movie The Iron Claw) were cultural icons in Israel in the 1980s. The idea that going to Israel to perform would be controversial would have seemed absurd then.

What do these three stories – Iranian protesters, a firebombed synagogue in Mississippi, and a wrestler going to Israel – have to do with one another?

Monday we will observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I wonder how he would view our current world and the turbulent events happening around us. Dr. King famously wrote from a jail cell that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," a sentiment that binds these disparate news items together.

Looking toward the brave protesters in Iran, I am confident Dr. King would stand in solidarity with their struggle. He understood the yearning of people to be free from oppression. He would remind us that while the "arc of the moral universe bends toward justice," it does not bend on its own -- it requires the courageous, often dangerous efforts of those willing to stand up to tyranny. Unfortunately, too many have already lost their lives.

Regarding the hateful arson at Beth Israel, Dr. King would be heartbroken that this happened at a house of worship. He personally faced terror and bombings, including in 1956 when segregationists bombed his own home while his wife and baby were inside.

I also believe his spirit would be lifted by the response from people speaking out against this act of antisemitism. Donations from Jews and non-Jews in Portland and elsewhere to rebuild a Jewish space would validate his belief in the "Beloved Community." As someone once said, “It is proof that while hate may ignite a fire, the water of solidarity is far more powerful.”

Finally, regarding the silencing of an entertainer through threats of violence, Dr. King would recognize the ugly face of intimidation, even in a modern digital context. The vitriol directed at this wrestler represents the antithesis of the bridge-building he championed.

These headlines are urgent reminders that our work is far from finished. As a Jewish community, we will support those who stand up to tyranny, help rebuild sacred spaces, and insist on Israel’s right to participate fully in the cultural life of the world.

May we live up to Dr. King’s legacy and choose courage over fear, solidarity over silence, and hope over despair. Our times may be “interesting,” but they are also a powerful test of who we are and what we stand for.

Shabbat shalom and make sure you hold August 30.