Why Are Jewish Organizations Firing Jewish Staff for Supporting a Ceasefire?
American Jewish organizations are firing or purging their staff critical of Israel at the same time as they are struggling to hire people.
There is the Hebrew education director in New England who says she was fired after singing about a cease-fire. The volunteer coordinator at a Baltimore County synagogue who was let go shortly after they were seen at a demonstration. The Sunday school teacher in Illinois who says they were dismissed after showing students a video of a Palestinian comedian. A veteran camp counselor who says she was harshly interrogated over a social media post — and then not invited back to a job she held for years.
Many agreed to have their names printed, while some spoke only on background or asked to use a pseudonym in fear of reprisal, believing they might never be able to work in Jewish institutions again. The information was collected over nearly a year and wherever possible, the descriptions included have been corroborated by documents, screenshots or interviews with witnesses and those with direct knowledge of the circumstances.