This is a guest opinion column.
As leaders of Jewish Federations in Alabama, we are coming together to speak openly about the serious challenges our communities are facing and express our positions on some of today’s most pressing issues.
Jewish Federations serve as central organizing hubs—particularly vital in small, Southern communities like ours, where Jews make up only a small minority.
Our mission is to support and sustain vibrant Jewish life. We do this by bringing together community members at all stages of the life cycle, from parent groups to Jewish War Veterans, from summer camp scholarships to Jewish life on college campuses. We create safe spaces for people to express their Jewish identities, and we actively foster relationships across lines of faith and background.
Just as importantly, we work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of our communities — a responsibility that grows more difficult each year.
Put simply, this is a time of deep fear and vulnerability for the approximately 10,000 Jewish Alabamians who call this state home.
According to FBI data released in 2024, anti-Jewish hate crimes rose by 63% compared to 2023 — a record-breaking increase. Although Jews represent just 2% of the U.S. population, anti-Jewish hate crimes accounted for 15% of all single-bias incidents that year. These statistics underscore a disturbing reality: antisemitism is intensifying at an alarming rate.
Almost two years after the October 7th attacks — in which the terrorist group Hamas slaughtered, raped, and took civilians hostage — antisemitic incidents remain historically elevated.
In Alabama alone, 67 separate incidents were reported last year. (The Anti-Defamation League defines incidents broadly, including harassment, vandalism, and assault. You can read more about their methodology and how they distinguish antisemitism from anti-Zionism here.)
These statistics are not abstract. They are connected to real-world acts of violence that reverberate through our communities—even when they occur beyond our state’s borders. This spring alone saw:
- The firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home, who is proudly Jewish and supportive of Israel,
- The murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers after a networking event at the Capital Jewish Museum,
- A terror attack on peaceful demonstrators who were calling for the release of hostages in Gaza. This attack resulted in murder of an 81-year-old Holocaust survivor.
These attacks were driven by rhetoric that conflates all Jews with the Israeli government — a dangerous antisemitic trope that puts Jewish lives at risk. Here in Alabama, we’ve also seen threatening language at demonstrations, some of which invoke calls for death or expulsion, particularly to “Zionists.”
We represent communities in which a majority consider Israel and Zionism to be important aspects of their Jewish identity. Simply put, Zionism means believing that the Jewish people should have the right to self-determination in their historic homeland; it is not tied to a specific political position or party (to learn more, check out this free master class).
In an increasingly polarized environment, we are concerned about the lack of nuance that leads to inflammatory language, including in places like social media. This often includes misinformation about Jews and our relationship to Israel.
These types of threats have made many community members fearful of entering Jewish spaces or being open about their own identities. As a result, our institutions are being forced to spend significantly increasing portions of their budgets on security — funds that could otherwise support education, culture, or youth programs. And we are often left feeling isolated, as if our concerns are not heard or understood by the broader community.
As Jewish Federations, we support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and defend itself. We hope for the day that groups such as the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran are no longer able to inflict terror and that all are able to live in peace. At the same time, our communities are not monolithic and we represent a diverse spectrum of beliefs and experiences.
As Jewish leaders, we mourn all civilian lives lost in Israel and Gaza, and grieve the suffering on every side of this conflict. We do so while also holding deep concerned about the mounting threats to Jewish safety here at home.
Since antiquity, Jews have faced antisemitism — ranging from stereotypes to conspiracy theories to group blame that has endangered our existence. Today, antisemitism is rising across the political spectrum, from the far left to the far right.
Combating it — and combating all forms of hate — must be a non-partisan issue and we ask that you call and rid out antisemitism wherever you see it, regardless of political affiliation. We are your friends and neighbors—we are members of your community. And we cannot do it alone.
Here are five suggestions from our statewide Jewish leaders about how you can be an ally.
1. Stand With Us in Visible Ways
In Birmingham, we see every day how much it means when our neighbors show up and stand visibly with us. Speak up when you see antisemitism. Attend community events that celebrate Jewish life. Reach out to your Jewish friends and colleagues to let them know they’re not alone. Acts of allyship, both large and small, remind us that our safety and sense of belonging are shared responsibilities. – Florina Newcomb, Interim CEO, BJF
2. Take the Time to Listen
Take the time to educate yourself and listen to Jewish voices to understand the modern and historical iterations of antisemitism. Antisemitism goes beyond Holocaust denial and overt anti-Jewish slurs. It often comes in the form of insidious conspiracy theories, double standards, coded language, and subtle exclusions. Dismissing Jewish voices about antisemitism only adds harm by invalidating lived experience, which leads to distrust and the silencing the Jewish community when real threats are at our doorstep. – Cassie Morgenstern, Executive Director, Mobile Area Jewish Federation
3. Be Intentional about Including Jews
In a state where Christians are the vast majority, we ask our neighbors to make more space for and be more aware that other belief systems exist in Alabama. We certainly appreciate verbal support for our community here and abroad, but we also ask that Alabamians make a more concerted effort to foster more inclusivity. This includes recognizing that we have different prayers, holidays, and customs. – Phillip Ensler, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Central Alabama
4. Educate to Understand
Do not apply double standards to Israel or the Jewish People. Recognize that Israel is the only predominantly Jewish State in the world and region. Israel contains about half of the world’s Jewish population. Applying a double standard to that State, demonizing it or attempting to delegitimize it is the essence of antisemitism and warrants condemnation. – Dr. Richard Brooks, President, Jewish Federation of Huntsville and North Alabama
5. Ask the Questions You Don’t Yet Have Answers To
As Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council — the community relations arm of the Birmingham Jewish Federation — I’ve learned that many of our challenges stem from a simple lack of understanding. That’s why we’re here: to help bridge those gaps. We welcome respectful dialogue with anyone who wants to better understand our community and perspective, and we are equally eager to learn from and about other segments of our broader communities. – Margaret Norman, Director, Jewish Community Relations Council (Birmingham)
While we face challenging times, we are a resilient people and with your support, will continue to be a vibrant part of life in Alabama.
This is a joint statement from the Birmingham Jewish Federation, the Mobile Area Jewish Federation, the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama, and the Jewish Federation of Huntsville and North Alabama.
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