by Deb Freedman
Dozens of synagogues across different states have been targeted by “online trolls,” which has disrupted services, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The Jewish advocacy organization said a series of antisemitic “swatting” incidents and fake bomb threats have targeted at least 26 synagogues and two ADL offices in 12 states over the past month. Swatting refers to the act of making false claims to the police with the intention of provoking an aggressive response from authorities at a particular location. —The Hill, August 16, 2023
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1965 A swastika in concrete inscribed the only path to my elementary school. 1971 Alone, our house was without Christmas lights, so someone decorated for us with dogshit. 1977 In Sociology class, the captain of our high school’s football team said Hitler was right and should’ve killed us all. Half my class agreed. Our mild-mannered teacher exploded. Rumors spread she was crazy. 2005 Our synagogue hired armed security guards for the High Holy Days after swastikas and “Kill the Jews” were spray-painted bloody red on its brick walls —an artifice of safety. 2009 A confident junior, in his oral presentation I assigned to my Honors English class, explained all Jews are rich and greedy. Some of my class was surprised. The presenter didn’t understand why this was a problem; he’d given a similar speech last year in History and aced it. 2022 At our local supermarket, the sweet-voiced lady in front of me in the checkout line, told the cashier she was so grateful; her niece healed from cancer because she prayed for her. Fervently, she asked me if I was a Christian. I smiled. told her I was Jewish and believed in the power of prayer. Her mouth clanked shut as she hurried from the store. 2023 My stomach is distended by history by now ordinary.
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Deb Freedman is a poet living in Pennsylvania. Her poems have been published in The New Verse News and DVP/US 1’s Worksheets 67.
Oh, gee. This SO hits home and the line breaks are so well crafted.