Dear Editor,
I have been a resident in Culver City for over 20 years and have worked here just as long,
helping to develop and operate Jackson Market during that time. We celebrate community and the way food and place brings people together. These days, I cannot take a bite without thinking about the tens of thousands of children that have managed to stay alive in Gaza and are struggling for basic food, water, and sanitation. We need to do more for them and I know we can.
I was appalled by the horrible attack on October 7 and over the tragic loss of life of so many innocent people in Israel because of it. Since then, that devastation has grown exponentially and I watch the same horrors be repeated on the innocent people of Gaza for over 300 days now.
Over 40,000 people have been killed, including well over 15,000 children. The Gaza strip has been destroyed, including schools, hospitals, sports facilities, libraries, and ancient cultural centers. The dehumanization of Palestinians is astonishing to me, and I believe our silence about our involvement is now complicity.
I have experienced hateful messages and defamatory reviews since we started voicing our protest against the war at Jackson Market. We fundraise for American based charities like MECA and ANERA, post artwork promoting peace and freedom for Palestinians and ask for a ceasefire, an end to the killing of innocent children, and a return of all hostages and detainees.
Since then we have faced constant negative reviews and critiques on Nextdoor, Yelp, and
Google focused on this issue. It has been written repeatedly that we are anti semitic, that we hate Jews, that we are pro terrorist and we fund Hamas. One neighbor Liz Smith wrote recently on Nextdoor that even though she’s lived down the street for 30 years and never been here, she would bet money that we chant “From the River to The Sea”.
A local yelper who said she has been coming here for years wrote that she interprets our message to be “Kill all the Jews”. Another tried to convince people in two different online conversations that we were kicking people for wearing a yarmulke in the store. A fourth questioned how they could really know if we were sending money to Hamas or not.
These are false, hateful, and misleading accusations that divide our community and promote Arab hate. No one is speaking out against it. We are asking for help and leadership from the city council to adjust the tone in the community on this issue by expressing understanding and solidarity with the Arab community too, and renewing our civic vows of tolerance, understanding, and equality. Comments like the ones we read online are hurtful to everyone. Calling someone antisemitic for supporting innocent Palestinian lives promotes Islamophobia and Arab hatred by shutting down the conversation about them before it starts. It also dehumanizes Palestinians and Arabs by not even entertaining conversation or debate about them. It simultaneously contributes to antisemitism by creating anger and resentment towards the accuser.
We must fight back against the US vs THEM trap.
It is not a popularity contest. Showing support for someone does not mean hatred for the other. Showing support for Israel does not mean you hate Arabs, and showing support for Palestinians does not mean you hate Jews. The city council has shown their clear support for Israel and the Jewish community with the council resolution written and adopted on October 23, 2023. I believe the resolution is incomplete and needs to be amended or rewritten to address the atrocities documented since then and its impact on the entire community in Culver City- not just the Jewish community.
The Arab American community and its allies in Culver City are hurting too, and facing increasing backlash as Israel’s wars escalate. Continued silence on this matter is complicity. Not speaking out against Islamophobia and hate will only serve to promote it and increase the US vs THEM problem. Speaking up for all human rights is a step towards building inclusivity and understanding between your community members.
Not speaking up will only exacerbate the divide.
I have been blessed and amazed by how much support and gratitude we receive for speaking up for Palestinian people. Jackson Market is one of the only places in the area where people who are critical of the war or that feel solidarity or even sympathy with innocent Palestinians feel safe and supported. We continue to be a place that welcomes people of all faiths and all backgrounds who support peace, and we continue to enjoy support from our Jewish friends and neighbors, even some who disagree with our position. We’ve lost a few Jewish friends because we spoke out and they did not want to join our conversation, but we have actually made more new friends and connections now because of it.
The Culver City I recognize aspires to be inclusive of all communities- this is a unique opportunity to join many other local city governments and say the same thing. I pray that the city council will draft a resolution in support of a permanent ceasefire, in support of a return of all hostages and detainees, and in support of an end to the killing of innocent children and lives, in a way that is inclusive of all members of our community.
Thank you,
Nicholas Conner
