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In Skokie, Illinois, residents gathered on Tuesday to stand against antisemitism, demonstrating unity and support for those affected by recent hateful acts.
The evening event was organized to address and combat antisemitic hate crimes, fostering a sense of community solidarity.
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This gathering was a show of support for Jewish neighbors, encouraging everyone to come together in a united front against discrimination and bigotry.
The impetus for this meeting was two alarming incidents that occurred over the weekend, where Jewish youths were subjected to antisemitic slurs.
One of these unsettling events took place at Central Park in Skokie, a beloved local spot for relaxation, but now a reminder of the challenges the Jewish community faces.
“Unfortunately, antisemitism has become normalized in society,” said Alison Piure-Slovin, with the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
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On Saturday, Skokie police say three Jewish teens were playing basketball, when their opponents addressed them with antisemitic language. The confrontation became violent.
“One of the perpetrators punched one of the young Jewish men in the face,” Slovin said.
This follows an incident on Friday at Lorel Park, where police say some Jewish girls were questioned by other girls about their religious identity. And those girls threw wood chips at them.
“What struck me most, what broke my heart was that they said they are worried and scared to go to our parks anymore,” Slovin said
Rebecca Weininger is the senior regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Midwest, and says the Chicago Human Relations Commission found disturbing evidence that antisemitism is on the rise.
“Hate crimes against Jews in the city of Chicago went up 58%,” Weininger said.
Skokie Mayor Ann Tennes says police are still investigating the incidents, but making people feel safe is their priority.
“Whether or not the ultimate classification based on the police work is a hate crime, we know that what was said was hateful, was antisemitic. And it was unacceptable,” Tennes said.
The Chicago Human Relations Commission recently found that hate crimes against Jewish people in Chicago have goneup 58%.
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