Dear Editor, During my career at Brookdale Community College (New Jersey), I played an active role in promoting Holocaust, Genocide, and World War II educational and memorial programs. After all, in order for “Never Again” to be meaningful, young minds must be educated on the historical horrors of fascism and prejudice. I’ve met Holocaust survivors, listened to their testimony, visited a former concentration camp, and had many close friendships with World War II veterans who risked their lives fighting fascism. I am anti-fascist.

In Ocean County, an anti-semitic hate group has emerged known as “Rise Up Ocean County”, which resembles a Nazi propaganda machine, and seeks to defame the ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious community centered around Lakewood, but also now present in nearby Toms River and Jackson, for simply existing.

We’ve already seen many troubling bias incidents in Ocean County directed at the ultra-Orthodox community, and society must respond to this discrimination before things get worse. What happens when someone is murdered or seriously injured due to this hate propaganda? I call upon New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to work with local schools and law enforcement to expand security measures and public education efforts against anti-semitic bias, as well as increase prosecutorial resources for hate crimes. I stand with Ocean County’s ultra-Orthodox Community against hate.

Carol “Kitty” Hafner
Box Elder, South Dakota
Recent Congressional Candidate (D-Alaska)
Retired Higher Education Administrator (Brookdale Community College) served as NEA/NJEA Union Officer