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Amid ongoing tensions that stem from the Israel-Hamas war, the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission has focused on how to counter the rising antisemitism and Islamophobia gripping the local community. At their latest meeting, they took the first official step.
On Feb. 8, the commission assigned subcommittees to delve further into issues brought up at recent community sessions that highlighted trends in prejudice against both local Jewish and Muslim people.
Based on recommendations from both groups in their respective sessions, the commission aims to formulate strategies to help combat recently increasing hate toward local Jews and Muslims since the latest Israel-Hamas war reignited on Oct. 7.
Among the recommendations from the Jewish session is employing approaches found in the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. This plan — released by the Biden administration in May 2023 — lays out tactics to raise awareness of and reverse the normalization of antisemitism, improve safety for the Jewish population and build broad solidarity.
The recommendations from the Muslim session include an official recognition of Ramadan, highlighting Islamic culture, defining anti-Palestinian racism and a stronger condemnation of Islamophobia from city leaders than what the Arab community feels has been expressed so far.
The commission tasked one subcommittee to study the recommendations from the Jewish community and another to take on those from the Muslim session. The subcommittees’ findings would then be brought to and discussed at a commission retreat in March.
Commissioner Mary Kate Stimmler wondered why the two subcommittees were split up, although she said she understands separate listening sessions may have made both groups more comfortable discussing their respective concerns openly.
“I am listening to the experiences of people who have dealt with anti-Arab hate in Palo Alto and the people who’ve dealt with anti-Jewish hate in Palo Alto and saw so many similarities in their recommendations,” Stimmler said during the meeting. “I’m curious why we think there needs to be very separate committees for the solutioning.”
Vice Chair Michelle Kraus said the commission plans to tackle solutions as a unified front at the retreat.
Public commenter Uzma Minhas applauded the commission for listening to and considering the recommendations from the Muslim community.
“We appreciate you giving us this platform,” Minhas said, addressing the commissioners. “It just means so much to us that you take our holidays and our religious traditions into consideration. Our community had a number of asks during the listening session, including recognition of holidays, festivals and educational events.”
She expressed eagerness to work with the subcommittees on how to put the recommendations into action. “We hope that this will make our community here in Palo Alto stronger and more inclusive for all of us,” she said.
Another commenter, Sarith Honigstein, also expressed appreciation for the commission’s endeavors particularly in a highly fraught time.
“It’s a very difficult time for our city given the steep rise in both antisemitism and Islamophobia,” Honigstein said. “Our communities are traumatized, and it is no trivial task to engage in such a process when the climate is tense and emotions running high.”
“There is no place for hate, violence and discrimination against any group, race, religion, ethnicity or nationality in the city,” Honigstein added. “It is not the Palo Alto way. On behalf of the Jewish community, we offer our full partnership to this commission, its guidance and its efforts.”