The Ramaz School’s tradition of activism and communal responsibility continues after 80+ years. At its core, Ramaz believes that כל ישראל ערבים זה בה זה – All of Israel is responsible for one another. Last week, students from Ramaz, The Shefa School and Park East Day School, and about 100 community members gathered at a rally at Congregation Kehilth Jeshurun (KJ), to daven, memorialize and show solidarity with those affected by the anti-Semitic terror attack in Jersey City. Under the auspices of the JCRC, and its CEO Rabbi Michael Miller, himself a Ramaz alumnus, the assembled heard from Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Ramaz principal emeritus, Rabbi Miller, Alyssa G. —a Ramaz senior who movingly described her grandmother’s experience of virulent antisemitism in Ukraine and its counterpart in today’s American society, and from Hon. Corey Johnson, speaker of the New York City Council, whose stirring words denounced antisemitism in all its forms, including BDS.

In another show of support for the grieving and heartbroken, Ramaz students hand-delivered Chanukah gifts to Jersey City Cheder students who were next door to the kosher grocery as it was under attack and who heard the ongoing gun shots while their school was in lockdown mode. Ramaz students hoped to lift the spirits of the Satmar children and bring them simcha at this difficult time.

Rabbi Lookstein explained these acts of solidarity show Jewish unity and signify that we cannot and will not stand idly by. He emphasized that we must do whatever is necessary to defend Jews, Jewish life, America and its historic values.