Nearly 400 Westport residents filled The Westport Library’s Trefz Forum on Thursday, November 13, for a special event presented by the Library’s Common Ground Initiative. The evening focused on understanding Jewish identity, confronting antisemitism, and fostering allyship.
Attendees, representing a broad cross-section of the community, participated in a one-hour presentation and 30-minute Q&A led by Eli Cohn-Postell and Kara Wilson of Project Shema, a national organization dedicated to addressing contemporary antisemitism.
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of The Community Synagogue noted, “The program was an important first step to opening up the conversation about antisemitism… a multiplicity of viewpoints listening and learning from each other.”
The event emphasized dialogue, empathy, and understanding, and included practical guidance on recognizing anti-Jewish harm and promoting respectful conversation. Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer said, “The purpose [of the antisemitism forum] is to help close that gap … to move our community from hesitation to understanding, from intention to action, and from the comfort of silence to the courage of real dialogue.”
Sponsored by Jon and Bobbi Roth, the evening was part of the Common Ground Initiative, the Library’s ongoing effort to create safe spaces for civil discussion on complex and sensitive issues.
Learn more about the initiative and view resources from past events at westportlibrary.org/about/common-ground-initiative.
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