South Orange Synagogue Rallies Against Immigrant Detentions

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — People from dozens of North Jersey synagogues and Jewish organizations protested the detention of immigrants by the federal government at a rally in Newark Tuesday.

More than 200 people attended the rally, including 12 from Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange.

Temple Sharey's Cantor Rebecca Moses, along with other cantors and rabbis, read the words of children held in detention centers and from the book of Lamentations. Clergy members also reflected on commandants from the Torah about sheltering and caring for refugees.

"Tisha B’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, marks the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and other calamities that befell the Jewish people. It also spurs us, as agents of social justice, to respond to the calamities of others," Moses said. "Given our people’s own history among other nations, we can never forget the commandments to love the stranger as ourselves and to care for those in our midst."

Members of synagogues from Essex, Union, and Bergen counties participated in the rally.

"Given all the recent news events and ensuing outrage in the community, we were honored to participate in this important event and have our voices heard in support of those being detained," said Max Weisenfeld, Temple Sharey's president. "I hope and believe that when we raise our voices in this way, our temple community and the wider New Jersey community take note."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com