Exit your comfort zone

Having experienced anti-Semitic incidents throughout my life, I’ve spoken out against intolerance and injustice. Today, as the United States continues to grapple with racism, I want to encourage all of you to do the same.

Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen #inthistogether and other community building initiatives. I’ve enjoyed seeing videos of musicians in the streets playing during lockdowns, restaurant owners delivering food to those in need, and other acts of kindness. But frequently I have noticed a significant gap.

Empathy. We are all afraid of tough and uncomfortable situations. It is hard to know what to say. However, staying silent is not the answer.

Today, people are afraid – and have been afraid for far too long - of saying the wrong thing to counter racism, so they don’t say anything. And when this happens, nothing changes.

If we don’t reach out and ask how your friends, colleagues, and neighbors are doing in a difficult time, we remain in our comfort zone. We must check on them and simply ask how they are holding up. We should be telling them that we stand with them against hatred and prejudice.

Silence is not an option.

We cannot allow innocent citizens to be killed. We cannot allow inappropriate comments and jokes to be made about others who look or think differently than us. It’s our duty to show empathy to our friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens each and every day to offer comfort and let them know they are not alone. That is how we as individuals improve our community, society, and the world – one person at a time.