Many Jewish nursing homes and senior communities this week marked the somber anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israeli civilians that destroyed families, shattered livelihoods and wrecked what had been a fleeting sense of security in a nation pretty much defined by its tumult.
There have been many somber moments in the year past, of course, and in months and years prior to that. Anti-Semitism, simmering in Europe and the US since the formal end of World War II, has boiled over in the months since the Oct. 7 attacks, especially as the larger political fallout has shaken core beliefs and alliances and left civilians vulnerable across the Middle East.
In fact, it’s left people vulnerable all across the world, including at many Jewish-affilated healthcare providers here in the US.
Late this summer, McKnight’s reported on anti-Semitic bomb threats made to several organizations, including what law enforcement officials described as a call center for a senior care organization. And while the idea of a bomb threat against a provider somewhere in New York City might not be seen as threatening to others, I found myself considering how it could be and why it should be.
Jeffrey Farber, MD, CEO of The New Jewish Home, and Ruth Katz, president and CEO of the Association of Jewish Aging Services and former senior vice president for policy at LeadingAge, were kind enough to share with me some of their recent experiences, as well as those of colleagues and residents, in two frank and moving conversations.
It’s hard to ask anyone how it feels to be the target of irrational hate, but these are the exchanges Farber and Katz acknowledge are necessary as the sector tackles mistruths, fear and a real potential for violence.
“I see too much of the general view of, ‘It’s not a big deal, don’t overplay it,’” Farber told me. “But things are not fine, not by any measure or any way you want to look at. … It’s real for us.”
Farber noted the Anti-Defamation League reported anti-Semitic incidents had increased 900% over the last decade, with a huge spike seen since last Oct. 7. That, despite the fact that just 2.5% of the US population is Jewish.
Unfair targets
Jewish organizations have a long history of providing healthcare in the US, serving the needy and the aging as a reflection of their cultural and religious values. That makes it even more shocking that some would target innocent people who seek care at their doors or those who happen to make their homes in a place with Jewish in the name.
At Farber’s campus, police suspect that was the cause of a targeted attack that left spray-painted Swastikas in plain sight, leading to a police and FBI investigation at the 176-year-old, mission-driven organization.
“We’re a health system for older people. Most of the people we care for are not Jewish. Most of our staff are not Jewish. They’re reflective of the communities within which we live and serve and operate,” Farber said. “But we have Jewish in our name, and it’s out there on the street in big letters.”
Farber’s team informed the community of the attack, conducted a fresh security assessment and added new protections at their facilities. For a huge gala this year honoring eight individuals over 80 who exemplify aging well, the Jewish Home beefed up security.
Likewise, Katz said, Jewish members of LeadingAge felt forced to hire an armed guard for an event last year. And safety and security is now a daily conversation, even on campuses where it may not have been such an overt concern a year ago.
The Association of Jewish Aging Services’ 84 organizational members are insisting that such issues take precedence at the group’s upcoming annual conference, as they’re all forced to protect their residents and staff — not just from healthcare threats or operational pressures, but from hate itself.
Talk about sick.
This is not normal, Katz and Farber each told me in their own words. But why should it matter to those whose work is far away from such blatant acts of hate or in a community with no synagogue and few, if any, Jewish residents?
“This is everybody’s issue. It is you. What affects one of us, affects all of us,” Katz said. “In this case, it’s one group that’s set aside. But bullies and evil-doers target all kinds of groups. I don’t think anyone is safe in a world where any one group can be targeted.”
And this fear — or potential trauma among Jewish residents, some of whom may still be survivors of the most hate-fueled war in modern times — isn’t an intangible.
This is all happening against the backdrop of the aging services providers’ ongoing staffing crisis. Looming violence has the very real possibility of chasing away needed workers.
Providers are trying to cope with that by adding more employee resources, keeping conversations open and setting up hotlines for concerns or questions. Talking about incidents might bring more attention to them, but it also shows organizations are taking the threats seriously and remain vigilant.
Resources needed
While many highly publicized attacks have so far targeted Jewish religious institutions and higher education organizations, Farber sees threats to every industry.
“When you look at it that way, it’s even more frightening,” he said.
The Jewish Home has previously won and is seeking additional funding for security upgrades through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps with “hardening” all kinds of facilities at risk of terrorist attack. But funding is limited.
The Jewish Federations of North America and the Secure Community Network (which provides free public threat updates) in September pushed Congress to increase government support. They noted that less than half of applicants were able to access aid in part because so many more organizations applied after Oct. 7.
While her members have not been surprised by the rise of anti-Semitism, Katz says, they are trying to bring a response that feels both powerful and effective to the people they serve, including concerned families. Non-Jewish families, residents and workers also very much need to be part of those conversations, she added, noting that, on average, only about half of nonprofit Jewish providers’ residents are Jewish.
Addressing trauma and building resilience in communities aren’t “trite” wellness mantras, Katz emphasized.
They are now, more than ever, necessary realities for too many.
Kimberly Marselas is senior editor of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.
Opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News columns are not necessarily those of McKnight’s.
