Jlife Magazine recently received inquiries regarding one of the teachers at a local temple’s social media activity in response to the October 7th massacre and subsequent war in Gaza. Jlife contacted the temple for a response.
“Our synagogue, Congregation B’nai Israel (CBI) recently became aware that a long-time teacher in our Child Development Center (CDC) was reported to have re-posted several images on her social media page that were highly critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, including some that contained offensive content that does not match the values of our community.
“We would ordinarily handle a staff matter internally and privately for the sake of all our families and employees. However, inaccurate reporting in another online publication, which was based on a single, anonymous letter, and the subsequent social media reposting, created a need to address this publicly to clarify what happened and reassure our broader community.
“Contrary to misinformation that was spread, CBI took this situation seriously from day one and immediately took action. We listened and responded to parent concerns with an immediate and significant internal review. We sought advice from all our available resources, including consultations with our attorneys, HR professionals, security advisors, board leadership, and—in particular—CDC parents, whose voices have been included at every step in this process and who overwhelmingly expressed great support for the long-time teacher based on their ongoing relationship. We have dedicated an enormous number of professional and lay hours to responding to this situation and have maintained ongoing communication with our CDC families, staff, and congregants.
“After thorough discussion and hearing all perspectives, the CBI professional and board leadership came to a decision to take this as an opportunity to educate, rather than terminate the teacher. CBI’s decision was based on employment law, our security committee’s guidance on what keeps our families safe, which is always our first priority, and our Jewish values, including that we all deserve the opportunity for teshuvah. While privacy laws forbid us from disclosing the details of any discussions we had with the teacher, we can share that they were very responsive to community concerns and have expressed sincere and ongoing regret for their actions.
“CBI has always been a community proudly and vocally supportive of Israel. In the months since the horrific massacre of 10/7, our Rabbi has spoken about Israel nearly every week from the bima, and we have added special weekly prayers for the safe return of our hostages. Our clergy, staff, and leadership have participated in solidarity events and coordinated with the ADL, Federation, and other community partners. We recognize and respect that our community members hold a diversity of perspectives about Israeli politics (as they do about American ones!), but our support for Israel’s safety and vitality has never and will never waiver. As such, we are planning in-service opportunities for all our CDC and Religious School teachers on Israel and antisemitism to ensure they understand and can continue to communicate our community’s values.
“We are proud that since this became public, not a single CBI family has left our community or school. The warmth, respect, and genuine listening we have experienced from our 450-plus member families has been incredible and reflects what makes us such a strong, growing, and vibrant community. We have also been grateful for the ongoing support from the OC Jewish Federation, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, ADL, local rabbis and executive directors, and community leaders.
“All of us who love Israel and who are deeply concerned about rising levels of antisemitism at home and around the world are living in a constant state of increased anxiety. This potent combination of fear and grief makes us all especially susceptible to jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst, even about one another in our shared Jewish community. CBI is steadfast in our support for Israel and our dedication to the safety of our community—values that guide this and every other decision we make. We are proud of the way that CBI has responded to this test—and while not everyone will ever agree with every decision made (we’re Jews, after all), we continue to care for one another and work together to help our community to flourish.
“With prayers for the speedy return of all our brothers and sisters in captivity and the safety of all those fighting terror.”
~ The CBI Leadership Team