What Is This New Antisemitism Bill? It's Not New, And It's Based On These Limitations

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Screenshot of a list of limitations to speech by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) .

On Wednesday, May 1st, 2024, The House of Representatives passed a Bill called “The Antisemitism Awareness Act,” which some in Beacon have called misleading and a disservice to Jews. Said Tina Bernstein, a resident of Beacon and longtime advocate for justice including during the anti-Vietnam war movement, told A Little Beacon Blog in a Letter To The Editor: “Our House of Representatives and 133 spineless Democrats have fallen in line with right wing conservatives by making it illegal to condemn the fascist government of Israel by conflating that criticism with antisemitism. How shameful! What a disservice to Jews all over who are upholding the principles of ‘Never Again To Anyone.’ And what total disregard for the lives of Palestinians.”

The Bill was pushed through as students across the United States and now the world are holding pro-Palestinian protests demanding that their universities divest financially from Israel, stop exchange programs with Israel, gain amnesty from suspensions for protesting, and other protections. These students are being violently attacked by riot police called in by some universities, as what happened at Columbia, UCLA, SUNY New Paltz, and others. As stated in the proposed bill: “Since 2018, the Department of Education has used the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism when investigating violations of that Title VI.”

According to the Associated Press, the proposal, “would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal anti-discrimination law that bars discrimination based on shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics or national origin.”

The IHRA defines that discrimination as: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

The IHRA provides examples to illustrate when this discrimination might occur, according to their disgression. Some of those examples include:

  • Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.

  • Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.

  • Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

  • Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.

  • Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.

  • Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.

The limitation of criticism of this kind could make it discriminatory, for example, to say that Israel was committing genocide of Palestinians.

“If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the bill would broaden the legal definition of antisemitism to include the ‘targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity.’ Critics say the move would have a chilling effect on free speech throughout college campuses,” according to the Associated Press.

Says Arvind Dilawar in his piece for Truthout: “As the definition explicitly references criticism of Israel, pro-Palestinian activists fear it may open them up to prosecution, and even hate crimes charges, simply for organizing against the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza or occupation of Palestine in general.”

Arvind has also been tracking how many states in America, including New York State, are creating state laws to back this broad definition, which does not exist for other nations, including African nations for the brutality American inflicted upon African Americans when stolen from their homes for free labor in America.

Other sectors of American political representatives have had unexpected reactions. Some who normally support bans on Muslims took a turn on this legislation that so protected Israel. NBC News captured these quotes:

"Did the House of Representatives just make parts of the Bible illegal?" Charlie Kirk, conservative commentator, posted to X, formerly Twitter.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted, "Antisemitism is wrong, but I will not be voting for the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) today that could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews."

NBC News reported this post: "Congress votes to make the Bible illegal hate speech. I guess I'll see you all in jail!" wrote Lauren Witzke, a former Republican Senate candidate in Delaware.

New State Law Would Deny Financial Aid to Students Who Criticize Israel

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by Arvind Dilawar

Although the bills claim to protect Jewish students, they would in fact codify a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel.

Late last year, New York State Senator Bill Weber and Assemblyperson Ari Brown introduced Senate Bill S7752 and Assembly Bill A8399 in their respective chambers. The bills were cosponsored by two dozen other legislators, including Senator Rob Rolison and Assemblyperson Anil Beephan, whose districts include parts of Beacon. The bills — both misleadingly titled “The Combating Campus Antisemitism Act” — claim to be protecting Jewish students by prohibiting “tuition assistance awards to any student who has knowingly engaged in promoting antisemitism.”

In fact, both bills would punish students who criticize the Israeli government, whether in regards to its ongoing genocide in Gaza — which has claimed the lives of more than 34,596 Palestinains, including 14,500 children and 8,400 women, according to Al Jazeera at the time of this writing — or its occupation of Palestine more broadly.

While neither bill directly mentions Israel, both reference a definition of anti-Semitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) — which does mention Israel. The IHRA lists specific examples of criticism that it claims are anti-Semitic, which are broad enough to include any criticism of Israel’s well-documented apartheid regime in the West Bank (“claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor”) to its ongoing genocide in Gaza (“drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis”).

The IHRA is an inter-governmental agency, which now includes 35 member countries, including Israel, and nine observer countries. Although it was ostensibly founded to combat Holocaust denialism, the IHRA’s definition of anti-Semitism was in fact a response to the Second Intifada, an uprising by Palestinians against the ongoing Israeli occupation, as documented by the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Organizations committed to Zionism (Jewish ethno-nationalism) like the American Jewish Committee expressly sought a definition of anti-Semitism that would include anti-Zionism (opposition to Jewish ethno-nationalism) and the IHRA’s working definition gave it to them in 2016.

The IHRA describes its definition of anti-Semitism as “non-legally binding” — but that hasn’t stopped the Israeli government and lobbyists like the American Legislative Exchange Council from trying to make it into law in the United States. ALEC is a notorious right-wing “bill mill” that brings together special interests and politicians to craft “model legislation” to lobby for in federal and state legislatures. The Center for Media and Democracy, a government watchdog, recently published audio from an ALEC meeting in 2021 at which Elise Steinberg of the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles and others urged the assembled legislators to codify the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism into law through their respective legislatures.

Prior to October 7, the Israeli government and ALEC had limited success in pushing states to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. From 2018 to 2023, only nine states — Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas — passed laws adopting the definition, according to FMEP. Since October 7, Georgia joined that list; seven more states — Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and South Dakota — are considering similar legislation; and no less than 15 related bills are before Congress.

Since being introduced, neither Senate Bill S7752 nor Assembly Bill A8399 has advanced beyond committee, meaning they remain far from law. However, one of the bills before Congress, HR 6090, advanced through the House of Representative on May 1, with Representative Mike Lawler, whose district includes parts of Dutchess County, cosponsoring and Representative Pat Ryan, whose district includes Beacon, voting in favor. Notably, both Lawler and Ryan have received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from pro-Israel lobbyists.

a little gaza news :: The University Students and Faculty Join The Push For Palestinian Liberation - Gaza Solidarity Encampments (A Link Roundup)

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The American news coverage of the growing number of university protests called Gaza Solidarity Encampments is not being well-covered. For example, when the news broke that there were snipers at Emory University, and then at Ohio State University, someone made the assumption that civilians were the ones holding and pointing the rifles. However, the police were called by the universities to come be placed onto the roof, and point rifles at the students and faculty, who were engaging in sitting and setting up their tents. Violence occurred if police or pro-Israeli civilians came in to agitate.

Also not covered as much are Jewish students and faculty participating in these Pro-Palestinian protests. Like this night in the streets for Seder for Passover.

Several professors have joined the students to protect them and serve as witnesses. Some parents have voiced how proud they are of their child. Despite the tuition that may be going to these universities. NBC New York reported: "The students' plight has become a central part of protests, with students and a growing number of faculty demanding their amnesty. At issue is whether universities and law enforcement will clear the charges and withhold other consequences, or whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students into their adult lives."

Presidential candidate Jill Stein was arrested at an anti-war protest at Washington University, held, and charged with assault of a police officer, as reported by Al Jazeera. She is 73 years old, and was arrested with 99 other people. “It was kind of scary to tell you the truth,” she said in an interview with local news station KSDK as reported by Time.

In depth accounts to follow on the Encampments at Universities are Ahmed Eldin, Wear The Peace, Everyday Is Juneteenth

a little gaza news :: University Encampment Edition

This roundup for "a little gaza news" highlights some moments of the Gaza Encampments, as well as emerging testimony from IDF (Israeli Defense Forces aka Israeli Occupation Forces).

Elizabeth, NJ Is Location For Protest Against Zim Shipping Company On A15 Economic Blockade Day

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Photo Credit: Alexa B. Wilkinson

Editor’s Note: Formerly Beacon-based now Newburgh-based photographer Alexa B. Wilkinson documented and reported on the vehicle protest against Zim shipping Company today on this A15 Economic Blockade day. All photographs by Alexa B. Wilkinson.

Wrote Alexa:

“As part of the @a15actions, early this morning in Elizabeth, NJ Port Workers For Peace with @nyclaborforpalestine and @palawda led a caravan of vehicles through the Port of New Jersey to denounce the Zim shipping company’s support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Zim CEO Eli Glickman has pledged that his ships will assist Israel’s campaign, even as it leads to mass starvation and the killing of over 17,000 children.

Photo Credit: Alexa B. Wilkinson

“Many port workers are horrified at what’s happening in Gaza,” said Chino May, one of the caravan organizers. “Our labor is being exploited to enrich corporations that uphold mass murder. But we make these companies go, so we can make them listen to us. The killing has to stop.”

“The caravan received mostly honks of support and a few agitated truck drivers. Police flanked the lead car and the group, and at some points attempted to break the line of cars up by merging in between them. At one point the port authority police asked how long they would be there and if there were more coming, to which the police received one word answers and vague responses.

“As we see global action taking place today across thousands of cities and economic choke points, the news will be flooded with Trump and Iran…don’t take your eye off the ball. This is focal point. All eyes on Gaza.”

Free Palestine 🇵🇸

Newburgh-Beacon Bridge Shutdown During National A15 Economic Blockade For A Free Palestine

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The Newburgh/Beacon Bridge was shut down today, April 15, 2024, at 8am in coordination with at least 65 other cities across the United States who designated April 15th Tax Day to be A15 Economic Blockade to Free Palestine. Organized by a15actions, the mission states: “75 years and 182 days into this US backed genocide we must take collective risk beyond symbolic acts of solidarity. On April 15th, we will block logistical hubs to stop the flow of capital worldwide. This is just the beginning. We will not cooperate with the police. If a blockade in one city faces repression, we will respond in solidarity in other cities. Join us in organizing towards our collective liberation.” See the shutdown in Oakland, CA, Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Texts from a reader showing Local radio station K104 was Reporting on Sheriff messages about terrorism, and not about the cause of the shutdown, which was A15 Economic Blockade for a Free Palestine.

@HV4FreePalestine was the first to cover the true nature of this blockade. The radio station K104 focused on parroting messages from Sheriff Offices like Putnam County, to perpetuate fear via the terrorist narrative that this country has accepted as normal with anything related to “the Middle East.”

Reported HV4FreePalestine:

“This morning at 8am, over a dozen Palestinians, Jews and allies blockaded the westbound Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon bridge for over an hour, stopping traffic on I-84 for miles at the peak of rush hour. The action, part of the April 15 Economic Blockade for Palestine taking place in 65 cities across the globe, ended at 9am with 15 arrests.

“Organizer Abdallah Qotate states: ‘As a Palestinian, I wake up everyday worrying whether my best friend in Gaza will live to see another day. I’m forced to be in the street because our elected government refuses to listen to us. How many Palestinians have to die before our government will stop sending our tax dollars to Israel to fund this genocide?’

“As a Palestinian, I wake up everyday worrying whether my best friend in Gaza will live to see another day. I’m forced to be in the street because our elected government refuses to listen to us. How many Palestinians have to die before our government will stop sending our tax dollars to Israel to fund this genocide?”
— Abdalla Qotate

In a non-violent act of civil disobedience, protestors highlighted the federal government and US economy’s role in Israel's genocidal siege against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Activists blocked all westbound lanes of traffic on the bridge for nearly one hour, amidst the busiest time on the bridge, over which 65,000 commuters and 6012 transport trucks travel daily.

During the protest, New York State Police assaulted, pushed and threatened peaceful demonstrators with a baton. In a tweet removed later, the New York Department of Transport for the Hudson Valley reported that as of 8:44am, one lane remained closed during police intervention.

Shutting down a key artery of commerce and commuter transport during one of the busiest hours of morning traffic, demonstrators were part of a global movement shutting down commerce to end the genocide.

“During the protest, New York State Police assaulted, pushed and threatened peaceful demonstrators with a baton.”
— @HV4FreePalestine

Grace Collins, one of the participants, concludes “Months of pleading to my representatives has not slowed the genocide in Palestine. Disrupting traffic to get our message across is a natural next step. If the constituents wont be heard through government channels then we will get our message across in nonviolent ways however we can.”

“From the Hudson Valley organizers: ‘Tax Day is a reminder that the Biden administration has made over 100 transfers of taxpayer dollars in military assistance to Israel since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza. We refuse to allow business as usual to continue while Palestinians are murdered by Israel using American weaponry and tax dollars. Those committed to Palestinian freedom in the Hudson Valley have tried many tactics—we’ve demonstrated, we’ve lobbied our representatives, Pat Ryan and Marc Molinaro, for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, we’ve visited their offices, we’ve educated the public. Those on the highway today are done waiting on congressional representatives. We are committed to keeping up the pressure until the genocide ends and Palestine is free.”

Citizen Reporter @bryanne_af reported that she was happy to learn she had been stuck in traffic for a cause during her Kid School Drop-off morning, telling her Instagram friends: “Hudson Valley shut down the westbound Newburgh Beacon bridge for Palestine today!!! 😭🇵🇸😭 I had no idea what was going on and had to drive over an hour to get home from dropping my kids off to school - so happy and proud to discover it was comrades doing worthy and noble work! So very thankful for their bravery and that I got to bear witness to the incredible impact they had on the Hudson Valley this morning - the blockade here went for six miles beyond the bridge, toward Fishkill [down 9D passing Stonykill Farm and the Heritage Financial Stadium] - if this inconvenienced you, just IMAGINE how Gaza suffers from what our tax dollars are doing in blocking their food, their medicine, their freedom to live! From the river to the sea!!! 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Another reader, Citizen Reporter Cowboy, responded to the news of the shutdown by telling ALBB: “I gotta go check Whacker Wire to see if my Mom was arrested today.” Their mom has been arrested 4 times during this extermination of Palestine, including once at Grand Central Station.

April 2 Leave it Blank on Primary Day, PK & New Paltz Actions, Newburgh Iftar, and More

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This Press Release was distributed by the Beacon Coalition:

The Beacon Coalition was formed while trying to pass the Ceasefire Resolution in Beacon. They continue to send out updates. Below is their latest update:

“As the U.S. continues to undermine progress made towards a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, it is all the more important that we keep up local pressure. There are lots of ways to show up for Palestine this week at the ballot box, in local parks, online, and beyond. Starting with…”

LEAVE IT BLANK NY: Did you know that you can submit a blank ballot in the New York Presidential Democratic Primary on April 2nd (and in early voting), to send a strong signal to Biden that New Yorkers want a permanent ceasefire? While there is no uncommitted or write-in option in New York, blank ballots are counted, and we strongly encourage primary voters to use this powerful opportunity to make our voices heard for a ceasefire. Find out more information on the Leave it Blank Campaign here, and sign up to phone bank here The campaign needs all hands on deck between today and the April 2nd primary, and phone banking is a great way to connect with other New Yorkers about how our tax dollars should be invested at home, not funding the destruction of Gaza. 

THIS WEEK:

  • SATURDAY 3/30 at 8PM: Land Day Vigil (Peace Park, New Paltz). In solidarity with the liberation of Palestine. Flowers & masks encouraged. More info here. 

  • SUNDAY 3/31 from 12-3PM: Poughkeepsie Protest. Gather at Harriet Tubman Park (72 Market Street, Poughkeepsie) in support of Poughkeepsie’s ceasefire resolution.

  • FRIDAY 4/5 at 7PM: Community Iftar at the Newburgh Masjid (25 Washington Terrace, Newburgh). Community event organized by the Newburgh Masjid board and congregation. All are welcome regardless of faith, affiliation, etc. Please be sure to RSVP to info@newburghmasjid.org so that the Masjid can prepare enough food for all to enjoy.

Finally, we’re still looking for folks who wrote to the Beacon City Council and/or who spoke during public comment in support of Beacon’s ceasefire resolution to submit their written letters and speeches to this email address (beaconceasefirecoaltion@gmail.com). These submissions will be compiled and distributed in a public forum that may serve as a reference for other municipalities who are writing letters and speeches for their own councils. So, please be sure to include in your email whether you’d like to be named as the author of your piece in this public compilation (and by what name if so), or if you prefer to remain anonymous. 

Demanding Ceasefire Protest Moves To Poughkeepsie For Their Council, Since US Can't Get Their Ceasefire Resolution Right

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Since The United States can’t get their Ceasefire Resolution right (hear from Guyana on what is wrong with the resolution) the protesters demanding a local ceasefire has moved to Poughkeepsie to demand a resolution and vote from their council.

Where: Harriet Tubman Park, 71 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY (off of East-West Arterial, aka Church Street, aka Route 44).
Time: 12-3pm

Protesters will safely occupy the wide, flat sidewalks. There will be cars driving by, so please stay on the sidewalks if you are protesting. If you cannot stand, but can drive through, do honk your horn!!

If you need more reasons to be vocal about liberating Palestine, visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Instagram. All of our posts have been there in the essence of time. We are doing our best to bring them here to the blog for you, for longevity, and for ease of use for sharing to people who aren’t on social media.

These messages were gathered and posted by @sarahofmagdalene.

A Little Gaza New: Collection Of Posts On Israel's Starvation of Palestinian Children

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Hello. This is the first of our Palestinian coverage that we have been producing at our Instagram. Since October 7th, in between local articles, we curate news articles about Palestine, and post them in collections. The tone is different than here at the blog. ALBB’s tone at Instagram has grown more personal. We start each Palestine group post with this “little gaza news” graphic, and a description that sets the guidance for the posts to come.

From ALBB’s Instagram:

“Today at ALBB was supposed to be about bringing you the news about the Cold Spring Farmers Market. But today so many pictures of Palestinian children burned bombed in the most unusual way surfaced. As well as more pictures of more children starving to death. As Joe Biden allows this to go on. And says that building a pier along side Gaza is the solution. It is not a solution. Ceasefire and End the Occupation is the answer. We, people in Beacon and all of the United States, are paying for this. At the very least, that can be why you care.

“This year, Katie is practicing Ramadan for the first time. She’s wanted to for years. And so just decided. Already had been reading the Quran and praying multiple times a day. It has been a beautiful experience so far. Only day 3 (or 4? brain gets scrambled when hungry.)

“Hunger. Hunger. Water. The people of Gaza have no water. Remember? Months ago they had no water. Months. Food. No food. Hardly any food. Israel denies all the food. Israel shoots people trying to get food (a video has surfaced of the massacre). Remember The Flour Massacre?

“Today, 50 people were shot from an Israeli helicopter. For fun. For sport. Israeli leadership has stated many times that they aim to clear all of Palestine out. This is the 2nd Nakba. So. That’s what this is. Call me anything you want here in Beacon. “White Power Hamas.” “Terrorist Apologist” “Hamas Supporter.” I am not alone. We are surrounded by people trying to stop this heinous homicide. Don’t cover your eyes or plug your ears for the next news photos. Hopefully “a little Gaza News” will get happier soon. If you want a Ceasefire / End The Occupation sign ALBB produced, let us know. We can keep printing them. Hang one in your room. Your office. Wherever you want.”

Posts From This Curation:

Pro-Israel Lobbyists Buying Support For Gaza Genocide Throughout Hudson Valley

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by Arvind Dilawar
Arvind Dilawar is an independent journalist. His articles, interviews and essays on everything from the spacesuits of the future to love in the time of visas have appeared in The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Daily Beast and elsewhere. He was also formerly a columnist at Pacific Standard.

Of the six congressional districts that include Hudson Valley counties, only one is on track for an election in which neither candidate has received funding from pro-Israel lobbyists. In Beacon’s District 18, two potential candidates have each received money from pro-Israel lobbyists: current Congressman Pat Ryan, and Republican hopeful Alison Esposito.

“Ryan expresses his opposition to even non-violent protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestine, as advocated by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Unsurprisingly, Ryan has yet to endorse a ceasefire in Gaza, which is supported by at least 69 other members of Congress, according to the Working Families Party at the time of this writing.”

In all of the other districts, candidates from one party or the other have received the endorsement — and financing — of the bipartisan American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Republican Jewish Coalition or Democratic Majority For Israel (DMFI). This avalanche of lobbying comes amid the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of at least 29,954 Palestinians, including 12,300 children and 8,400 women, according to Al Jazeera at the time of this writing.

Although AIPAC, RJC and DMFI target different segments of the political spectrum, their functions are essentially the same: to funnel funds to politicians who commit the United States to continue sending billions of dollars in military assistance to Israel and deploying both its military (e.g. warships in the Red Sea) and diplomacy (veto at the United Nations Security Council) to fend off challenges to Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

In New York's 18th congressional district, which includes Beacon, Democratic incumbent Pat Ryan and Republican forerunner Alison Esposito have both received endorsements from pro-Israel lobbyists. As the two are likely to advance to the general election, district voters will be left with no choice independent of pro-Israel lobbyists from either major political party come November.

Ryan is endorsed by both AIPAC and DMFI, and his campaign received at least $69,800 from the former for the current election cycle, per the Federal Election Commission. (According to FEC reports, DMFI has yet to financially contribute to Ryan’s campaign.) In his position paper on US-Israeli relations — which AIPAC requires of every candidate seeking endorsement — Ryan expresses his opposition to even non-violent protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestine, as advocated by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Unsurprisingly, Ryan has yet to endorse a ceasefire in Gaza, which is supported by at least 69 other members of Congress, according to the Working Families Party at the time of this writing.

Esposito is endorsed by RJC, which has contributed at least $42,601 to her campaign thus far, per the FEC. She is currently the forerunner in the district’s Republican primary and therefore most likely to face Ryan in the general election.

These are the other candidates in Hudson Valley districts who have received endorsements from AIPAC, RJC and/or DMFI this election cycle — and how much money they’ve received, per the FEC:

  • NY-16 (Westchester): Democratic challenger George Latimer is endorsed by AIPAC, which contributed at least $1,195,456.45 to his campaign.

  • NY-17 (Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess): Republican incumbent Mike Lawler is endorsed by both AIPAC and RJC, which together contributed at least $7,375 to his re-election campaign.

  • NY-19 (Ulster, Green, Columbia): Republican incumbent Marc Molinaro is endorsed by both AIPAC and RJC, which together contributed at least $8,000 to his re-election campaign.

  • NY-21 (Rensselaer): Republican incumbent Elise Stefanik is endorsed by both AIPAC and RJC, which together contributed at least $269,649.48 to her re-election campaign.

  • Altogether, AIPAC, RJC and DMFI have given more than $1.5 million to candidates in the Hudson Valley for this election cycle — and that’s only counting contributions up to the end of 2023, as FEC reports for 2024 have yet to start rolling in.

With AIPAC demanding that the United States “give Israel the time, resources and support to win this war,” this widespread lobbying is being explicitly tied to the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza by the lobbyists themselves, who want to ensure that US funding, military support and diplomatic cover allow the violence to continue. But these efforts should force voters in the Hudson Valley to question whether, alongside the thousands of civilians being starved and slaughtered, if it isn’t the United States’ democracy that’s dying in Gaza too.

Letter To The Editor At Highlands Current: Re Hijacking Spirit of Beacon Day to Palestine/Israel Suffering

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“In the spirit of having dialogue, one could argue that a ceasefire resolution is spot on with what the Spirit of Beacon spirit would aim to accomplish: bringing together different community members in the public forum of City Hall to stand against murders of Palestinian doctors, journalists, parents, children, teachers, aid workers, donkeys, lambs, olive trees, and anything that is alive in Palestine.  ”
— Katie Hellmuth, former Chair of Spirit of Beacon Day

ALBB’s Editor’s Note: Katie Hellmuth is the publisher and writer for A Little Beacon Blog, and former Chair for the Spirit of Beacon Day. She submitted her Letter to the Editor of the Highlands Current after she learned that Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek had compared the Spirit of Beacon Day to the genocide going on in Palestine by the Israeli government.

Her Letter as Printed Reads:

As the former Chair of the Spirit of Beacon Day, I am taken aback by Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek’s letter where his proposed local Beacon solution to addressing the war on Gaza  would be to go the route of coming together to have something like a Spirit of Beacon Day Parade instead of passing a ceasefire resolution in Beacon. Rabbi Brent is responding to the request of several citizens of Beacon - Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Christian, Undeclared - to have a permeant ceasefire, return of all hostages and kidnapped and detained Palestinians, and the defunding of Israel by the Untied States (and by extension New York and Beacon tax dollars).

Rabbi Brent attempted to relate the mega homicide going on in Palestine right now to the racial riots by some of Beacon’s youth in 1977 which went on for some days. Those riots had physical clashes, but nothing close to the multination of bodies we have seen of the children of Gaza, where their parents and other community members are searching for their body parts, not knowing who they belong to. Not to mention digging Palestinians out of the rubble. Or the systematic destruction of schools, hospitals, mosques, churches that has occurred after October 7th, 2024, but also occurred before that date as well, under Israel’s occupation of Gaza, funding by the United States, and thus in part by New York and Beacon.

An important question that needs asked and answered is: If a ceasefire resolution in Beacon is so fruitless, then why the pushback against it? Rabbi Brent said it would “strain” if not “shred” the social fabric in Beacon. However, Beaconites who have family and land in Palestine are already strained as they text each morning and night to see if their family and friends are still alive. With the rejection of the consideration of a ceasefire resolution, the community who supports Palestine feels even more not seen or heard.

In the spirit of having dialogue, one could argue that a ceasefire resolution is spot on with what the Spirit of Beacon spirit would aim to accomplish: bringing together different community members in the public forum of City Hall to stand against murders of Palestinian doctors, journalists, parents, children, teachers, aid workers, donkeys, lambs, olive trees, and anything that is alive in Palestine.  

Katie Hellmuth
Former Chair of the Spirit of Beacon Day
Publisher A Little Beacon Blog

Letter To The Editor: Lila Barchetto, A Jewish Resident Supporting Beacon's Ceasefire Resolution

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My name is Lila Barchetto, I am a Jewish Beacon resident of 10 years and I fully support our City of Beacon passing a ceasefire resolution.

Our tax dollars are funding the Genocide of Palestinian people, the collective punishment of innocent men, women, and children. Israel is an apartheid state, a colonial project, and a racist theocratic ethnostate that has not and will not save Jews from anti-semitism globally.

Beacon owes no allegiance to Israel. And neither do Jews for that matter. "Bibi'' Netanyahu and his fascist cabinet do not care what our little city does. Netanyahu doesn't care what President Biden says or what The International Court of Justice rules. The Israeli government has spoken clearly and plainly that they wish to annihilate Gaza and murder as many Palestinians as possible. The Israeli government has repeatedly prioritized vengeance over freeing hostages. Not even the lives of their own citizens could deter Israel's goal of total destruction, ethnocide, and genocide in Gaza. There is no complication. By calling for a ceasefire Beacon is taking a stand for its residents and is sending a message to the state and federal Government that we do not condone genocide. We do not accept that our tax dollars are funding Israel's Genocide of Palestine.

There is nothing anti-semitic in the language of this resolution. The purposeful conflation of Jewishness with Israel is at its core anti-semitic. The redundant lamentings of long standing "complications" to this issue is willfully distracting and deeply patronizing. Please, speak plainly about what this "slippery slope" is descending into. Take the time to be specific, and tell us what is so complicated. If the opposition to this resolution can not do that, then they have said nothing.

The City Council should pass this resolution to ensure that we truly are the "welcoming, safe and inclusive city" we claim to be. Israel's Genocide of the Palestinian people is costing Beacon an average $200,000 taxpayer dollars annually. The environmental cost is beyond measure. I can not overstate the cost to our collective and individual humanity if we do not act now as a community and call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Letter To The Editor: R. Qader Speaks Her Truth About Living In America As A Palestinian and Arab

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Editor’s Note: R. Qader spoke at the City Council Meeting on February 20, 2024 during Public Comment (video of that is at the end of this article). In total, 51 people came out to speak about if Beacon City Council should pass a ceasefire resolution (which you can view at @alittlebeacon IG which inspired many people to come out who had never attended a City Council Meeting before), as dozens of other municipalities have done in New York and across the nation. During R. Qader’s speech then, she said her family were refugees during the first Nakba in 1948. She says she was in 8th grade during 9/11, and was harassed after that.

  • She says that she used to wear the hijab 🧕🏽 headscarf, because as a Muslim, the hijab is a form of protection. However, she stopped wearing it because she was targeted and it was no longer protecting her.

  • She was pushed down the stairs, and had her hijab ripped off her head.

  • She was called “terrorist” every day.

  • She was called “Osama mama”

  • She was told by her teachers that all Palestinians were born suicide bombers.

  • She had stink bombs thrown at her by her peers.

  • Every time something went wrong in a classroom, multiple students would yell “the Muslim did it!,” “the Arab did it!,” “the Palestinian did it!”

  • She’s had teachers maliciously butcher her name daily in passive protest to her identity.

  • She said there were no consequences for the way she was treated in school. Nothing ever happened to her harassers, who were other young kids and teachers. She was not protected. She wore a tshirt that said “No blood for oil” and kids said “blood for oil” in response.

She said that nothing was done to protect her. She said that Muslims and Arabs do not submit claims of harassment and abuse and threats because they are not protected.

R. Qader covers 3 points in her Letter To The Editor below:

“People may look at this differently than local hate crimes because it is an international matter, but I would argue this is an amplification of the anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian attacks that have been taking place long before October 7th. It has been well documented that Muslims are less likely to report hate crimes because they do not feel safe with their community leaders or law enforcement. Many in the Muslim community do not feel protected by the people or the institutions in place, people and institutions like this.”
— R. Qader

Without this [ceasefire resolution from Beacon, NY]…we are not safe. Think of this statement as a blanket that puts a child to bed at night. A blanket is supposed to be comforting, safe and warm; yet, with this statement, we lay cold and exposed. Without the call for a ceasefire, it implies that our cities, the places we call home, have not only accepted, but condoned the murder of our people. Without the call for a ceasefire, Zionism retains the power, and we have seen and we have felt, for more than 70 years, what that power is capable of in their hands. Without the call for a ceasefire, I’m scared to walk down local streets because if they’re cool with harassing my people in Palestine, they’re certainly cool with harassing us here.

We’ve seen examples of this even at the most prestigious of institutions. At Columbia University, in America, IDF soldiers threw skunk liquid on students and violently attacked young men for wearing keffiyehs. One of those young men is now paralyzed. Yet still, this is not the most violent of attacks Palestinian Americans and supporters of Palestine face. In the supposed safety of his own home, a six year old child was murdered by his neighbor in Chicago. Without the call for a ceasefire, without the support of our local government to ensure our safety, what do we tell our children? You are neither safe on the streets, nor in your home. You are not safe anywhere.

“The violence we face is not hypothetical, and it is not new. I’ve dealt with this personally at a public Ulster county school following the September 11th attacks. I was pushed down the stairs; I had the hijab ripped off my head; I was called “Osama mama”; I was told “all Palestinians are raised to be suicide bombers.”
— R. Qader

The violence we face is not hypothetical, and it is not new. I’ve dealt with this personally at a public Ulster county school following the September 11th attacks. I was pushed down the stairs; I had the hijab ripped off my head; I was called “Osama mama”; I was told “all Palestinians are raised to be suicide bombers”; I was told to go back to where I came from; I had stink bombs thrown at me.

Every time something went wrong in a classroom, multiple students would yell “the Muslim did it!,” “the Arab did it!,” “the Palestinian did it!” I have had teachers maliciously butcher my name daily in passive protest to my identity.

“All this was accepted and was condoned by both teachers and staff. All this happened at a place where I should have felt safe. These events have directly influenced my decision not to send my children to public schools. These events leave me wary of activities for my children where I cannot be present to ensure their safety.”
— R. Qader

All this was accepted and was condoned by both teachers and staff. All this happened at a place where I should have felt safe. These events have directly influenced my decision not to send my children to public schools. These events leave me wary of activities for my children where I cannot be present to ensure their safety. Although my family are not residents in Beacon, we are active in Beacon. My husband works with local grocery shops and marts there, and my children and I attended classes and activities regularly in Beacon. I love Beacon as many people do. I have watched the city grow, expand and change for over three decades. However, I cannot overlook three very important issues that will affect my family and I’s decision to continue working with the community.

There is a rise in hate crimes pertaining to THIS specific issue.

People may look at this differently than local hate crimes because it is an international matter, but I would argue this is an amplification of the anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian attacks that have been taking place long before October 7th. It has been well documented that Muslims are less likely to report hate crimes because they do not feel safe with their community leaders or law enforcement.

“Many in the Muslim community do not feel protected by the people or the institutions in place, people and institutions like this. Our government, our media, and our leaders have continuously painted a picture of Palestinians as terrorists; we can see this throughout decades of film and television where Israel and Palestine is used as the butt of a joke or an allegory to an eternal struggle that will never end.”
— R. Qader

Many in the Muslim community do not feel protected by the people or the institutions in place, people and institutions like this. Our government, our media, and our leaders have continuously painted a picture of Palestinians as terrorists; we can see this throughout decades of film and television where Israel and Palestine is used as the butt of a joke or an allegory to an eternal struggle that will never end. Even with what is happening now, even with the live footage, the images, the accounts from Palestinians posted freely online for all to see and share, the LIFE within the Gaza and West Bank borders is rarely acknowledged. We do not hear about the doctors, nurses, teachers, sanitation workers, or students of Gaza; no, instead, we hear “Hamas”.

“The call for a ceasefire does not mean you now stand with Israel or you now stand with Hamas. The call for a ceasefire means the recognition of Palestinians as humans, humans worthy of safety, food, shelter, and life.”
— R. Qader

Hamas is in the hospitals,
Hamas controls the schools,
Hamas is in the tunnels;
Palestine is Hamas and Hamas is Palestine.
Let me state this clearly and loudly, I am NOT HAMAS. PALESTINIANS ARE NOT HAMAS. If my Jewish friends and colleagues in this community retain the right and the freedom to not be associated with Israel, then I and my fellow Palestinians retain that same right to declare we are not Hamas.

The call for a ceasefire does not mean you now stand with Israel or you now stand with Hamas. The call for a ceasefire means the recognition of Palestinians as humans, humans worthy of safety, food, shelter, and life. The call for a ceasefire means that Beacon stands for justice and safety of all citizens within its borders and beyond. As you talk about Cyprus, think of Palestine and her people. Our freedom will not be selfish, our freedom will not halt at the borders, our freedom can be your freedom too.

Liberation of Palestine has never and will never be exclusive. “Liberation for Palestine stands for liberation everywhere” has been heard throughout the world.

Firstly, dialogue is not going to help put pressure on our Congressman Pat Ryan, who receive funding from AIPAC to support a genocide. We have talked to him, too. We have had several meetings with him, and he sits, nods his head, sips his water when asked direct questions, and provides professional, political, placating responses. Although he listens, our words are not heard. He thanks us for sharing our stories and concerns, then accuses us of things that are simply not true, like “storming his office”. He thinks by taking meetings with us, we will simply overlook the fact that he is shaking hands with the small minority of people, who are trying to justify the killing and occupation of my people. To which I say, we will not look away, we will not stop speaking the truth, and we will not forget who you stood with when genocide was occurring.

“Do not let these people distract you from finding the truth for yourself. This is not a “conflict”; this is not “complicated”. This is an occupation, this is apartheid, and this is genocide.”
— R. Qader

Do not let these people distract you from finding the truth for yourself. This is not a “conflict”; this is not “complicated”. This is an occupation, this is apartheid, and this is genocide. The ICJ, the ICC, and Amnesty International have said this is plain language. That being said, let me be clear, no one is asking you to choose a side; that is not why we elected you to your position. We are not asking you to draw the plans for free Palestine yourself. We are not asking to be superheroes and save the world. What we are asking is for you to fulfill your role as an elected official by representing the people in your constituency and amplifying our voices. Your community is here to tell you that we demand you to call for a ceasefire and push the resolution.

“We are not asking to be superheroes and save the world. What we are asking is for you to fulfill your role as an elected official by representing the people in your constituency and amplifying our voices. ”
— R. Qader

The resolution put forth will make a difference. It will make Palestinians in our community and those who stand with Palestine feel safe and heard by our leaders. This resolution amplifies our voices to our district and state officials. This resolution will require them to hear us. We have tried talking with them directly, and despite maintaining their stance that they speak for the majority of their constituents, they have continuously voted in support of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF, same as IDF) and for the continuation of violence. We need you to help amplify our voices and make it known, these votes do not represent the people.

“The resolution put forth will make a difference. It will make Palestinians in our community and those who stand with Palestine feel safe and heard by our leaders. This resolution amplifies our voices to our district and state officials. ”
— R. Qader

Calling for a ceasefire will unite us with national cities and communities that have already made the call. Beacon would not be the first, but it will not be last. Some may argue that calling for a ceasefire or passing this resolution is a “waste of time”, but standing for humanity has never been and will never be a waste of time. Showing our children that we do not accept genocide will never be a waste of time.

Telling the nation that we do not accept the murder of over ten thousand children is not a waste of time. Standing alongside our Palestinian Christian, Muslim and Jewish community to call for unity and safety will never be a waste of time. There is time for dialogue and there is time for action. Right now, we need action. As we debate calling for a ceasefire, Palestinians continue to die, starve, and succumb to preventable illness. WE as Palestinians do not want to be refugees, again. We as Palestinians want to remain on the land of their grandparents and their grandparents before them. We as Palestinians want to be able to stay, live, raise our children and prosper on our land.

Just recently, we have watched as our U.S. government approved billions of dollars to go to Israel and stopped funding to a UN organization that works exclusively with those Palestinians refugees you spoke of today, the UNWRA. Our government has been vocal in support of the Palestinian people, but has actively working against the Palestinian people. We need you, more than ever, to represent us and amplify our voices.

And again, I’d like to highlight that this pain doesn’t come from this community directly, it comes from what this community is a part of, the bigger picture. This pain comes from the state and the nation that is steadfast in funding and supplying the weaponry that has been murdering my people and occupying my people. Blood is on the hands of our nation’s leaders. We cannot be silent.

I call on your action. Not your words. Your action. And I call on you to act towards a permanent ceasefire, now.

“And again, I’d like to highlight that this pain doesn’t come from this community directly, it comes from what this community is a part of, the bigger picture. This pain comes from the state and the nation that is steadfast in funding and supplying the weaponry that has been murdering my people and occupying my people.”
— R. Qader

I was taken aback when some council members stated they feel a call for a ceasefire would disrupt the peace in the community and that remaining silent is the better course. Certainly, I would think the opposite as true. Calling for the end of a violent, disproportionate attack would welcome conversation, peace and dialogue more than remaining silent on the issue. Silence implies acceptance, implies compliance, and implies support. For myself, I would be much more open to sit at the table with someone who is openly vocal against the murder and occupation of my people. I will certainly not shake hands with someone who has been silent about the ongoing genocide in Palestine, further with someone who does not stand for the end of occupation or genocide in any nation around the world. You cannot expect me to trust someone who lacks basic humanity, to sit with a person who cannot see the ills and crimes being committed. We, as Palestinians, have tried this in the past, and it has never ended in our favor. We have learned from experience to fear those who cannot see us as people and to fear those who remain silent.

I have to reiterate this is not a complicated decision. You do not need a degree to stand against violence. It is that simple. This is not an issue that does not affect us in the community; this is not an issue “over there”. This is a community issue. When Black Lives Matter protests were happening here, the people of Palestine stood up with us. George Floyd was painted on the walls of Gaza; they were able to recognize and connect the injustices against American people as directly connected to the injustices they face. How can we not do the same? How can we not see that the violence, hatred, and anger is directly affecting our community? That it is dividing us?

“One council member stated that she would love and welcome Palestinian refugees to Beacon, which is a beautiful sentiment in theory. However, it is simply that - a sentiment. The Palestinians do not want to be refugees, and would certainly not want to be forced to move to a city that refused to acknowledge the bloodshed of the families, friends, and community members. ”
— R. Qader

One council member stated that she would love and welcome Palestinian refugees to Beacon, which is a beautiful sentiment in theory. However, it is simply that - a sentiment. The Palestinians do not want to be refugees, and would certainly not want to be forced to move to a city that refused to acknowledge the bloodshed of the families, friends, and community members. Furthermore, if this council is not acting to protect its Palestinian-American constituents from hate crimes and bigotry now, how could we promise refugees safety?

Every moment we spend debating whether the call to end violence is “appropriate”, Palestinians are dying, Palestinians are being bombed, Palestinians are being shot, beaten, and starved. The time to act is now. The time to show the world that the people of Beacon stand for peace, humanity and liberty is now.

Letter To The Editor: Phoebe Zinman, A Jewish American In Beacon, Implores Beacon City Council To Pass Ceasefire Resolution

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Editor’s Note: Phoebe Zinman also submitted this letter to Beacon’s City Council.

“My grandmother worked very hard to get Jewish families to America during WWII. Not one single member of my family would want this genocidal rampage to happen in Palestine, and certainly not in our name. ”
— Phoebe Zinman

As a 13-year resident of Beacon, a homeowner, an elected trustee of one of our community’s most valuable institutions, and a Jewish American, I am calling on you to pass the ceasefire resolution. My family escaped from the pogroms in Russia and came to this country in the early 1900’s. My grandmother worked very hard to get Jewish families to America during WWII. Not one single member of my family would want this genocidal rampage to happen in Palestine, and certainly not in our name.

This is a horrific ethnic cleansing that we are watching in real time, and also bearing witness to the power of pro-Zionist propaganda at every level of our society and culture. Furthermore, my father’s family were socialists and were blacklisted during the Cold War by the American government for speaking their truth to capitalist power and against censorship of the freedom of expression. Now in 2024, we are witnessing more blacklisting, more censorship, more limits to our freedom to criticize Israel’s actions.

“Is the City Council and the city prepared to stand on the wrong side of history, under the weak pretense that the resolution doesn’t matter?”
— Phoebe Zinman

Is the City Council and the city prepared to stand on the wrong side of history, under the weak pretense that the resolution doesn’t matter? If it doesn’t matter, why are any of us serving our city? This is a time for being clear about the value of human life, and not for favoring those with more power and resources.

You must pass this ceasefire resolution, there is no other choice you can make in good conscience,

Phoebe Zinman

Letter To The Editor: Arthur Camins And Tina Bernstein-Camins, Beacon Jews, Call On Beacon City Council To Pass Ceasefire Resolution

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Editorial Note: Tina Bernstein can be heard in a podcast interview with ALBB recorded days after Israeli’s aggression on Gaza in response to the October 7th attack by Hamas.

Dear Editor:

The Beacon City Council is discussing a possible humanitarian ceasefire resolution. As Jews, we support passage.

Jews speak with many voices from varying values and politics.  Like other Jews of our age, we grew up in the dark shadow of the Holocaust. Though our parents were not survivors of the Holocaust, we had family members who survived fighting with the resistance, were hidden by a kind Polish family, and survived by playing dead in a pile in Treblinka and then lived to testify at Nuremberg.

“We know deep in our marrow that Jews cannot be safe anywhere in the world, while Palestinians who share the same piece of the Earth are not free. Not all Jews of the diaspora–now or in the past–regard a Jewish state as central to their identity or safety.”
— Arthur Camins and Tina Bernstein-Camins

We grew into adulthood amidst the conflicts of the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements.  We have direct, devastating familial experience of government-led efforts to silence dissent during the McCarthy period. As Jews, we learned vital lessons that we’ve carried through our lives into retirement and in how we raised our two children.

Lesson 1: The German and world silence as the Nazis attacked and eventually rounded-up and murdered Jews, Roma, Homosexuals, and dissidents taught us to never relinquish our power to speak up and stand against injustice, no matter how intransient the perpetrators or how dim the prospect for justice.  During the civil rights movement, the segregationists argued that "You can't legislate people to love one another."  Maybe not.  However, in the face of pitched conflict, the moral and political power of direct action and legislative demands for new laws led to an end to egregious de jure discrimination. We know that no path to mutual empathy and respect, peace, democracy, and justice for all is possible while people are killing one another. In the face of the Hamas October 7 attack and Israel’s murderous attack on innocent Gazans, we call on our City Council to not remain silent.

“In the face of pitched conflict, the moral and political power of direct action and legislative demands for new laws led to an end to egregious de jure discrimination. ”
— Arthur Camins and Tina Bernstein-Camins

Lesson 2: Never again means never again for anyone. That is why some of our grandparents organized labor unions, fought for school integration, and marched on Washington in 1963. It is why we’ve followed in their footsteps.  It is why we joined others to protest the U.S. horrific napalming of North Vietnam.  It is why we've fought racism our whole adult lives.  It is why we demand that our government cease its diplomatic and financial support for Israel's wholesale annihilation of Palestinians—entire families, children, educational institutions, mosques—anything that remains.  We know deep in our marrow that Jews cannot be safe anywhere in the world, while Palestinians who share the same piece of the Earth are not free. Not all Jews of the diaspora–now or in the past–regard a Jewish state as central to their identity or safety.

Silence is the face of injustice is acceptance. We call on the Beacon City Council to stand up and pass a resolution to demand:

1) An immediate permanent ceasefire between Hamas and Israel;
2) An end to U.S. military aid to Israel;
3) A release of all Hamas-held hostages and Israeli-held political prisoners;
4) Condemnation of any killing of innocent civilians;
5) Condemnation of hatred against Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians, Israelis, and Jews.

Arthur Camins and Tina Bernstein-Camins
Beacon, NY

Letter To The Editor: Sarah From, A Beacon Jew, Insists That Beacon City Council Pass A Ceasefire Resolution

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To the Editor:

As a Jew, a parent, and a human, I cannot turn away from what is happening in Israel and Palestine right now. Along with other Beacon Jews, in December I co-organized a pro-ceasefire menorah lighting outside Rep. Pat Ryan's office that drew fifty people, demanding him to act immediately to stop the horror.

Since Congress has failed to answer our call, we must act locally to send a clear message that we do not support our tax dollars going to fuel more death, more destruction, more despair. The Beacon City Council must pass a ceasefire resolution.

Sincerely,
Sarah From
Beacon, NY