Dear Petaluma, Cotati, and Santa Rosa City Council Members, We, the undersigned, are Jewish residents of Sonoma County who are appalled by the Israeli government’s horrific and unrelenting war against the Palestinian people of Gaza and the West Bank. We call on our local leaders to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.
As of this writing, more than 21,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military.
Almost half of those killed in Gaza are children. More than half of the homes in Gaza have been destroyed. 85% of the population of Gaza has been internally displaced within an area that was already one of the most densely populated areas on earth. For perspective, imagine double the population of San Francisco in an area between Windsor and Penngrove, and then imagine all
2.3 million of those people are suddenly forced into just one town while being bombed from above and shot at along their evacuation route. People have nowhere to go, and they are lacking the basic necessities for life: food, water, electricity, communications, medical care, and shelter. Mass starvation, crowded conditions, and lack of infrastructure and medical care will likely lead to a much larger death toll through disease and hunger. The United Nations states that “grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians in the aftermath of Oct. 7th, particularly in Gaza, point to a genocide in the making.” As Jewish people, we know about genocide in our bones and through our lineage. We understand deeply the phrase “never again,” and we believe that “never again” means never again for anyone.
We mourn the Palestinian people killed in Gaza just as we mourn the Israeli people killed on Oct. 7th. The amount of death and suffering is unbearable. And, the death toll in Gaza has not stopped rising.
Israel’s campaign of ethnic cleansing in Gaza is done in our name, with our tax money, and supported by the United States government. These are tax dollars that could be used to fund public resources here in our community such as housing, education, and healthcare.
You may hear that to pass a ceasefire resolution or to criticize the Israeli government is antisemitic. Criticizing Israel’s policies or advocating for equality and justice for Palestinians is not the same as antisemitism or anti-Jewish hate. The Israeli government does not represent all Jewish people. Half of the world’s Jewish population resides outside of Israel, and many citizens of Israel are not Jewish. Furthermore, many Jews within Israel criticize their government, which we all have the right to do.
We are painfully aware of the rise of antisemitic hatred and intimidation targeting Jews in our local community. Prior to October 7th, Santa Rosa School Board meetings and Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meetings were disrupted with antisemitic rhetoric from a white supremacist. A known Nazi supporter dropped antisemitic leaflets in communities in Sonoma and Napa. Yet, despite the growing anti-Jewish attacks from white supremacists, many Israel lobby groups have instead focused on redefining antisemitism to include criticism of Israel.
We come together as Jews in Sonoma County to declare that Israel’s actions do not represent us. We do not believe that Israel’s scale of assault and mass destruction does anything to make Jewish people safer - neither the Jews in Israel nor those around the world, including here in Sonoma County.
We condemn the anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Jewish attacks that are on the rise in our local community.
We believe that passing a ceasefire resolution is one step that local leaders can take to lead with values of peace, justice, and embracing diversity here locally and to stand up against genocide globally.
We call on our local elected officials to stand on the right side of history: put humanity on the agenda and adopt a ceasefire resolution.
This letter was written by Jews for a Free Palestine, a Jewish group that is a part of Sonoma County for Palestine.
Signed by:
1. Eric Singer, Bodega
2. Max Bell Alper, Camp Meeker
3. Miranda Viorst, Camp Meeker
4. Nancy Feinstein, Cazadero
5. Glenn Shor, Cazadero
6. Emmy Wagner, Cazadero
7. Joan Meisel, Cloverdale
8. Karen Rotstein, Cotati
9. Ethan Hirsch-Tauber, Cotati
10. Dr. Elaine Leeder, Cotati
11. Richard Bloom, Cotati
12. Megan F Coffey, Cotati
13. Lindsey DeVito, Forestville
14. M. Camille Brody, Forestville
15. Lilah Gliksohn, Forestville
16. Christy Lubin, Graton
17. Robert Engel, Graton
18. Hannah Wilton, Graton
19. Jesse Hom-Dawson, Graton
20. Marisa Katz, Guerneville
21. Lois Pearlman, Guerneville
22. Keith Rhinehart, Kenwood
23. Lauren Arrow, Occidental
24. Sam Tuttelman, Petaluma
25. Steven M. DeLue, Petaluma
26. Jacob Saltzman, Petaluma,
27. sarah seitchik sebastian, Petaluma
28. Sallie Latch, Petaluma
29. Lendri Purcell, Petaluma
30. Paul Alexander, Petaluma
31. Barbara Stagg, Petaluma
32. Larry Modell, Petaluma
33. Julia Modell, Petaluma
34. Karyn Carrillo, Petaluma
35. Rick Brown, Petaluma
36. Joanna Sapir, Petaluma
37. Noah Wolf-Prusan, Petaluma
38. Ellen Beeler, Petaluma
39. Joshua Reichek, Petaluma
40. Laure Reichek, Petaluma
41. Sheridan Gold, Petaluma
42. Bernie Album, Petaluma
43. Sasha Tuttelman, Petaluma
44. Ma'ayan Pe'er, Petaluma
45. Raney B, Petaluma
46. Ellen Obstler, Petaluma
47. Angelo Sacerdote, Petaluma
48. Ashley Collingwood, Petaluma
49. Beverly Alexander, Petaluma
50. Harmony Hayes, Petaluma
51. Ashlyn, Petaluma
52. Aaron Miller, Petaluma
53. Chrissy Zotalis, Petaluma
54. Chuck Sher, Petaluma
55. Rachel Kaplan, Petaluma
56. Mia Zimman, Petaluma
57. Rinat Abastado, Petaluma
58. Michael Norwitz, Petaluma
59. Jiordi Rosales, Petaluma
60. Annalisa Sher, Petaluma
61. Cyndi Norwitz, Petaluma
62. Dana Silva, Rohnert Park
63. Joshua Silva, Rohnert Park
64. Mariah Hansen, PsyD, Rohnert Park
65. Leiah Bowden, Rohnert Park
66. Rachel Marcus, Santa Rosa
67. Alan Worstell, Santa Rosa
68. Chelsea Kurnick, Santa Rosa
69. Remi Newman, Santa Rosa
70. Dianne Monroe, Santa Rosa
71. Rigel Bowen, Santa Rosa
72. Margaux Permutt, Santa Rosa
73. Elizabeth Rothschild, Santa Rosa
74. Danny Toub MD, Santa Rosa
75. Jordan Byrd, Santa Rosa
76. Zohn Mandel, Santa Rosa
77. Wendy Millstine, Santa Rosa
78. Stacey Blount, Santa Rosa
79. Zach Blount, Santa Rosa
80. Nancy Offner, Santa Rosa
81. Ash Hayflich, Santa Rosa
82. Sydney DiMartino, Santa Rosa
83. Frances Fuchs, Santa Rosa
84. Pasha Toub, Santa Rosa
85. Bob Heymann, Santa Rosa
86. Julie Rachanna Chasen, Santa Rosa
87. Megan F Gordon, Santa Rosa
88. H Caratti, Santa Rosa
89. Shari Brenner, Santa Rosa
90. Judith Goleman, Santa Rosa
91. Rita Rowan, Santa Rosa
92. Terry Rowan, Santa Rosa
93. Josh Stithem, Santa Rosa
94. Ashley Calvino, Santa Rosa
95. Olaina Silva, Santa Rosa
96. Jennifer Miller, Santa Rosa
97. Rima Roberts, Santa Rosa
98. Meghan Johnson, Santa Rosa
99. ARIA A RAFN-STOFFER, Santa Rosa
100. Julia Rapkin, Santa Rosa
101. Jennifer Herman, FNP, Santa Rosa
102. Zoë Kessler, Santa Rosa
103. Danielle Cain, Santa Rosa
104. Lukas Thompson, Santa Rosa
105. Katherine Woodworth, Santa Rosa
106. Katherine Wilde, Santa Rosa
107. ACB, Santa Rosa
108. Jill Rose, Santa Rosa
109. Sarah Wachs-Bel, Santa Rosa
110. Madalyn Berg, Santa Rosa
111. Rosa Lubin-Molina, Santa Rosa
112. Sophia Pruden, Santa Rosa
113. Nicole Graham, Santa Rosa
114. Noa Lewin, Santa Rosa
115. Mike Samuel, Sebastopol
116. Leah, Sebastopol
117. Lena Rothman, Sebastopol
118. Gabrielle Esensten, Sebastopol
119. Gabrielle Greenberg, Sebastopol
120. Yes,I stand for Peace.....Now, Sebastopol
121. Anne Cory-French, Sebastopol
122. Michael Zieve, Sebastopol
123. Marjorie Bair, Sebastopol
124. Eszter Freeman, Sebastopol
125. John Rosenblum, Sebastopol
126. Sarah Dozor, Sebastopol
127. Bob Dozor, Sebastopol
128. Krista Rae, Sebastopol
129. Ben Lev, Sebastopol
130. Coby Leibman, Sebastopol
131. Xochiquetzal Lubin-Amaya, Sebastopol
132. Gabe Katz, Sebastopol
133. Elise Rudolph, Sebastopol
134. Elena Lev, Sebastopol
135. Tom Meyskens, Sebastopol
136. Devi Katz, Sebastopol
137. Rachael Knight, Sebastopol
138. Sarah Salem, Sebastopol
139. Chelsea Dennis, Sebastopol
140. Helen Baum, Sebastopol
141. Sophie Lev, Sebastopol
142. Aviva Lipkowitz, Sebastopol
143. Leslie Gattmann, Sebastopol
144. M. Jane Lawhon, Sebastopol
145. Basha Hirschfeld, Sebastopol
146. Coby Leibman, Sebastopol
147. Tania Chatila, Sebastopol
148. Roberta, Sebastopol
149. Naomi Minturn, Sebastopol
150. Barrie Sterling, Sebastopol
151. Margaret Bankert, Sebastopol
152. Justine Epstein, Sebastopol
153. Tania Chatila, Sebastopol
154. Rebecca Williams, Sebastopol
155. Dor Haberer, Sebastopol
156. Daniella Adi Aboody, Sebastopol
157. Samuel DeBoskey, Sebastopol
158. Will Shonbrun, Sonoma
159. Stephanie Hiller, Sonoma
160. Michael Nagler, Tomales (Office in Petaluma)
161. Edie Sussman, Windsor