This message is just to bring awareness about the pro-Palestinian rally that occurred on November 7 in Bergenfield. It’s been almost a month since the rally, and I still find myself looking twice behind me to make sure that nothing has continued on our small, quiet block.
On the night of November 7 we got a message from our neighbors telling us that a pro-Palestinian rally would be taking place on our block to counter the Israeli real estate event occurring in their home. While unfortunately, we are no strangers to pro-Palestinan rallies in Bergenfield, it was unheard of to have a private event protested, especially on private property. The rest of that day felt helpless.
Emails and calls to government officials came back empty-handed as police barricaded our street and prevented all cars (including our children’s buses) from passing through. The police were kind and wonderful but I couldn’t help but feel as though they were rolling out the welcome mat for this group that stood against everything I believe in. We rushed our children inside and closed the lights, allowing anxiety to take over.
Flashbacks of the stories in Germany in the 1930s kept reeling through my mind. As I attempted to put my children to bed, the rioters came marching through the streets. Our night suddenly became about trying to counter the noise they made with air horns, and chants to globalize the intifada. My children cried, not exactly knowing what was going on but scared of the loud noises and horns. I kept repeating to them, “You are safe,” but honestly needed to repeat it to myself just as often. I saw the videos of the Jewish representative who came to counter and protect the home, and my heart swelled with pride but I still couldn’t help but feel as though we had failed. We made a space that was previously safe now a site flooded with fear, and there was nothing we could do to stop it.
My question now is, how can we be sure that something like this will not happen in the future? This wasn’t a community-wide event—this was a private residence on a private street with a private event. How can it have been possible for a pro-Palestinian mob to violate that boundary between private and public areas without a permit? What is to stop them from doing this on every street that bears the Israeli flag or a sign to free the hostages?
I’m just here waiting for answers before the next election.
