BETAR CHICAGO

Dear Esteemed Community,

As we gathered in the spirit of unity and dialogue within our sacred synagogue for a lecture with an Arab Israeli speaker on peace, we were confronted with an alarming and unacceptable display of intimidation. Members of our community faced a hostile atmosphere, as protesters banged on glass and shouted threats, including chilling death threats aimed at our guest speaker. Flyers were distributed that brazenly declared "We want him dead or alive," creating an atmosphere of fear and agitation.

It is profoundly disturbing that such violence and aggression erupted in a place of worship, where we seek solace and community. The sanctity of our gathering was overshadowed by the aggressive behavior of the protesters, which not only caused distress to our attendees but also instilled concern in families who had come to enjoy a peaceful and spiritual evening. Many were understandably worried for the safety of their loved ones, as the environment deteriorated into one of unrest.

We want to be unequivocal: such actions are entirely inappropriate and will not be tolerated, especially in our places of worship. Furthermore, we are aware of the misinformation being spread online by the pro-terrorist mob that infiltrated our space. This campaign of gaslighting is an attempt to distort the truth of what transpired last night, as we were accosted in our place of worship and had to rely on police assistance to remove individuals who threatened our peace.

The Chicago Jewish Alliance is resolute in our commitment to ensuring that our future events are safeguarded from such disruptions.