Standing Up to Antisemitism

Once again, violence, prejudice and hate, this time right in our own neighborhood. On Tuesday night, several people were attacked outside a restaurant near Cedars-Sinai by a group shouting, “Death to Jews.” The night before that, an Orthodox Jewish man on foot was chased by several cars that appeared to be pursuing him. 

It pains me deeply to have to say this yet again: There is no place for violence of any kind, no place for racism or prejudice. All of us must stand up against this hatred, as it affects us all.

These antisemitic hate incidents are especially painful because Cedars-Sinai, as a Jewish hospital, embodies a core value of welcoming and treating all people with dignity and respect, especially anyone who has felt excluded or victimized. This core Judaic value remains visible today, as evidenced by the diversity of people and communities we care for, the diversity of our employees, and our commitment to strengthening the health of communities across the Los Angeles region.

It is important to recognize the difference between freedom of political expression and incidents of violence and hate. There is a time and place for nonviolent political expression, regardless of viewpoint. But make no mistake, when a person is physically attacking someone because of their religion, race, or other personal characteristic, that is not in any way an expression of political view. It is prejudice, racism and hate, plain and simple.

Over the past 12 months, we have witnessed so much violence and hatred in our nation and our world that it is easy to feel numb. But in ways large and small, it is crucial that each of us remains vigilant in our collective goal of equity, justice and respect. I am thankful that we work at an institution that demonstrates those values every day for the broader community.