The Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City announced last week it has disassociated from the Women’s March amid accusations of anti-Semitism against a few of the movement’s leaders such as their association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Instead, it will join the 2019 Women’s March on NYC under the auspices of the Women’s March Alliance, which has no relationship to the Women’s March Inc.
“As early as 2017, we heard rumblings of troubling accusations of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism within and amongst the leadership of the Washington march. At the time, we pushed our discomfort aside in deference to what we considered the bigger issues threatening our country,” he added. “But now, in the aftermath of Pittsburgh and mindful of the surge in anti-Semitic incidents in the past two years, anti-Semitism can no longer be a narrow concern. If you tolerate or are sympathetic to those who are prejudiced against Jews, we cannot stand with you. If you deny Israel’s right to exist, we cannot stand with you.”
In recent months, a number of prominent Jewish groups and activists have disavowed the Women’s March leadership over concerns regarding anti-Semitism.
Samantha Natov , associate rabbi of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, echoed Hirsch: “The Women’s March movement has accomplished so much and inspired women worldwide, but we are deeply concerned about the anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism connected to the Women’s March Inc. organizers, and feel it is our duty to speak out. We are grateful that there are alternatives to Women’s March Inc. that empower us to continue to fight for women’s rights, gender equality and the other issues so dear to us by supporting organizations that more closely reflect our core values.”
The Women’s March on NYC is scheduled for Jan. 19.