Local Jewish community responds to antisemitic vandalism
–In response to antisemitic graffiti that vandalized the Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish Cal Poly fraternity, house on Friday, Feb. 5, all area Jewish congregations and organizations have signed off on the following letter:
Dear Concerned Community Member,
It is with distress yet a sense of responsibility that we write this letter in response to the disquieting violation and display of hate that occurred in our community on Friday, February 5, 2021 at the Cal Poly Jewish fraternity house, Alpha Epsilon Pi. Late into the Jewish observance of Shabbat, a rest that lasts from sundown on Friday through Saturday, the AEPi house on California Avenue in San Luis Obispo was defaced with antisemitic graffiti, including swastikas and other vile language. On behalf of the Central Coast Jewish community, we pen this letter to state that we will not stand for any display of antisemitic rhetoric. Instead, we
work to ensure San Luis Obispo is a safe and welcoming community – for our Jewish students, community, and neighbors and friends of all backgrounds.
AEPi has released the below letter in response to the antisemitic graffiti. Jewish area leadership not only endorses the fraternity’s statements, but also seeks to respond to this hate crime with actions in coordination with the students. We are currently waiting to hear from both the Jewish students as to their preferences for steps that should be taken and from the San Luis Obispo Police Department regarding the status of its investigation before we formulate a response.
This incident is currently under an active investigation. Please feel free to respond with any questions or comments you would like to share in the meantime.
In community,
- Lauren Bandari, Board Member, JCC-Federation of SLO and Community Affairs Council Member
- Abby Lassen, Community Affairs Council Co-Chair Richard Namm, Treasurer, JCC-Federation of SLO
- Mimi Naish, Secretary, JCC-Federation of SLO
- Susan Stern-Pearl, Board Member, JCC-Federation of SLO
- Bobby Naimark, JCC-Federation of SLO Manager
- Rabbi Janice Mehring, Congregation Ohr Tzafon /‘Northern Light’
- Rabbi Micah Hyman, Executive Director, SLO Hillel
- Gail Schwartz, JCC-Federation of SLO Board President
- Richard Beller, Congregation Beth David Board of Trustees President
- Rabbi Len Muroff, Jewish Chaplain, Atascadero State Hospital
- Brenda Hock, Board Member, JCC-Federation of SLO
- Liz Ruderman Miller, Board Member, JCC-Federation of SLO
- John Belsher, President, Temple Ner Shalom
- Rabbi Chaim Hilel, Director, Chabad of SLO & Cal Poly
- Susan Dressler, Core Leader, Bend the Arc: SLO
- Sally Rogow, Community Affairs Council Member
- Saeed Niku, Community Affairs Council Member
- Gary Epstein, President of Temple Beth El
- Officer Joshua Walsh, San Luis Obispo Police Department Jewish Community Liaison
- Daniel Meisel, Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties
- Gordon Mullin, Volunteer, StandWithUs SLO
This community letter is an initial response to what has been deemed a hate crime by the San Luis Obispo Police Department. Further statements and action will come as the active investigation yields results.
In addition to this community letter, AEPi Cal Poly SLO has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Antisemitism Awareness: https://www.gofundme.com/f/alpha-epsilon-pi-slo-antisemitism-awareness.
Funds are to support Jewish educational and cultural awareness efforts with another Festival for Jewish Learning, a two to three-day learning celebration on campus. The first such festival was hosted in May 2019 and plans are underway for another one after pandemic restrictions have lifted. More details on the initial Jewish learning festival can be found here: https://www.jccslo.com/learning.html.
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