No Place for Hate in the Lone Star State

After a slew of saddening, maddening, and terrifying anti-Semitic events in Austin, the community organized a rally for kindness. We were touched by the loving support of the community, both Jewish and not-Jewish. We were honored to be interviewed by the Austin American-Stateman, article and background details of events can be found here. The rally had several well-expressed and impassioned speakers. We are delighted to have represented our community with our presence and our words:

Austin resident Debbie Cohen was at the rally with her three young children. Cohen, whose family is Jewish and maintains a kosher household, was wearing a shirt that said, "Be Kind," and holding a poster that said, "My Mishpacha believes in Ahava."

"Mishpacha" is Hebrew for family, and "ahava" means love.

"I brought my children here to teach them that we can respect anybody and everybody — no matter what our differences are," Cohen said alongside her husband, Jon Cohen, and their 7- and 4-year-old sons and 8-year-old daughter.

Their middle child, Ethan, held up a poster that said, "How can you not love this Punim?" "Punim" is a Yiddish word for a "cute little face," Debbie Cohen said.

"We are here to stand with our community and show our kids that we have a large community of people that love us, and we can love everybody," she said. The family moved to Austin from North Carolina eight years ago because of the city’s strong Jewish community.

"Austin has a really homey Jewish community that we were looking for," Debbie Cohen said. "So the fact that people are trying to threaten it is terrifying, but we’re still here. We’re strong, and we’re proud to be here."

From left, Debbie Cohen, Ethan Cohen, Gabi Cohen, Jon Cohen and Spencer Cohen make their feelings known at the Rally for Kindness. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman

Fist bumping the capitol: