Interfaith peaceful vigil opposes anti-semitic acts

Over 500 people gathered Sunday afternoon for an interfaith peaceful vigil to stand in solidarity against recent acts of anti-semitism around the country. Wendy Joering, Director of Community Engagement at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, said that there have been at least three anti-Semitic acts that have occurred this past week, including a bomb threat against the Jewish Community Center in Providence last Monday. On the day of the bomb threat, members of the Muslim community decided to organize the interfaith vigil. “It’s certainly heartening that so many good people locally and around the country, who are not members of the Jewish community, are standing up and speaking out. This has brought everybody closer together, the interfaith community, the Jewish community,” Joering said. “The support around the state of solidarity and unity is astounding.” Governor Gina Raimondo, Senator Jack Reed, and Representatives David Cicilline and Jim Langevin were at the gathering yesterday, which was held at the Rhode Island Holocaust Memorial. When asked how to combat anti-Semitism and unite people at an everyday level, Joering stated: “if everybody can do one nice thing for someone else that they don’t know everyday…that will make a difference”.