Jewish Voice for Peace visits Senator Jack Reed's office demanding support for a ceasefire

"McCarthyite silencing and false accusations of antisemitism are not about protecting Jewish people. It's about protecting apartheid and protecting the profits of defense contractors."

“We're here to deliver over 50 letters, signed by our members to Senator Jack Reed,” said Joel Reinstein from the Rhode Island chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace [JVP]. “We are demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Since October 7th, Israel has cut off food, water, power, and fuel to over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel has killed over 8,500 people in Gaza, including over 3,500 children.”

Reinstein was speaking across the street from the Federal Building and Courthouse at the edge of Burnside Park in Downtown Providence on Tuesday afternoon. He was accompanied by around 30 members of the local chapter of JVP. They were there to speak briefly to the press, hand out flyers, and delivered over 50 handwritten letters to Senator Reed calling for an end to hostilities between Israel and Palestine.

“Numerous human rights organizations have sounded the alarm about blatant war crimes that Israel is committing in Gaza,” continued Reinstein. “This genocidal brutality will not bring peace. Here in the United States, anyone who speaks out for Palestinian rights faces false accusations of antisemitism in an unprecedented wave of McCarthyite silencing that has nothing to do with protecting Jews.

“McCarthyite silencing and false accusations of antisemitism are not about protecting Jewish people. It's about protecting apartheid and protecting the profits of defense contractors. We condemn the silencing and McCarthyite oppression.

“We're here, as Jewish Voice for Peace, to make it clear that we condemn the genocidal violence that's being carried out in our name. We demand a ceasefire. We want an end to the humanitarian catastrophe that Israel is visiting over two million people in the Gaza Strip. We want all Israeli hostages to return home safely to their families,” concluded Reinstein. “We want the over 4,000 Palestinian workers who've been arrested by Israel and are being held right now in detention camps also returned safely to their families. We're here to demand a ceasefire.”

Jen Steinfeld is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace who wrote an op-ed I published yesterday that called for peace between Israel and Palestine. She spoke at the rally downtown, ahead of the visit to Senator Reed’s office.

“I'm an anti-Zionist Jew and I'm here to say, Not in my name,’” said Steinfeld. “We're here today to deliver postcards from our community to Senator Reed, who represents our voices - but he is not representing our position right now.

“Senator Reed is an important leader because he's on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he is a veteran himself. He is looked to as a leader in that community, and we want him to take a stand in support of a ceasefire. That ceasefire includes no more bombing by Israel, no more violence by Hamas, and an immediate release of the hostages, as well as humanitarian aid coming into Gaza to support those civilians being impacted by this bombing campaign.

“I grew up in Pittsburgh. I grew up in the neighborhood where the Tree of Life shooting happened.

“That was antisemitism.

“I woke up Friday morning, which was the fifth anniversary of that shooting, to everyone speaking the 11 names of the people who were killed, may their memories be a blessing, but also to a list of 7,000 people who have been killed in Gaza.

“We will never be saying those names like we do those 11. I want all the violence to stop, and I do not want this to be carried out in my name, or in the name of my ancestors.”

Steinfeld then addressed the crowd directly and asked, “Can we all say together, ‘Not in our name?’”

“Not in our name!” replied those in attendance.

The last person to speak was Eli Neuman-Hammond, who read a letter he had addressed to Senator Reed.

“Hi Senator Reed,” began Neuman Hammond. “Every day since October 7th has been sorrowful for me. What left me with a particularly gutted and empty feeling was witnessing Israel carrying out its crimes in broad daylight, articulating its racist murderous campaign in real-time, and then sharing this messaging loudly and clearly on a global scale.

“It's reception? In the United States and [among] its allies, we have endorsed the massacres in unambiguous terms, in broad daylight. I'm not a historian, but never in my short life can I remember murder and rage of this scale being defended and promoted in public so quickly. It's a nightmare.

“I'm here as a Jew, with fellow Jews, and as your constituent to demand that you call a ceasefire in Gaza. I'm here as a grandson of a Holocaust survivor who turned 97 last week, and who the United States, in supporting Israel's war, has cursed with the horror of watching genocide unfold again - in his name, in our name, and in all of our names.

“In recent weeks, I've heard more American elected and appointed officials temper their message that Israel has the right to defend itself with calls for Israel to follow the rules of war and open up humanitarian aid corridors. And I'm here to say something that you as a senator already know: You cannot have it both ways.

“The United States cannot stand behind Israel, funding its massacres of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, while also playing the role of superpower mediator and voice of peace and democracy. This is a morally bankrupt position.

“Me, and the world, and all of us Jews here, see through it. The Jews calling for peace in Washington DC, Grand Central Station in New York, and around the world see through that. The hundreds of thousands of peaceful protestors in London see through it and countless more, throughout the world, are not turning their eyes away from Israel's United States-backed war crimes,” concluded Neuman-Hammond. “The first step, and the only ethical thing to do right now, is to call for an immediate cease-fire. This bloodshed cannot continue on my tax dollars.”

Senator Reed, as everyone knew, was in Washington DC. Homeland Security personnel would not allow the dozen or so people who wished to hand the letters to Jack Reed’s office to go upstairs. Instead, Senator Reed’s Deputy Press Secretary Benjamin Craig came down and took the letters. Craig assured everyone that he would get their message to Senator Reed. After that, about half of those in attendance delivered a similar message to Congressperson Seth Magaziner’s office in Warwick.

You can watch the action here: