Opinion by Dan Sweeny

The Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton and its Agencies care for those in need, strengthen Jewish life, and create connections among Jews — acting locally, in Israel, and around the world. There is no hiding it — our support for Israel is clear in the Jewish Federation’s mission. I start there to remind the entire community where we stand — firmly with Israel. As board president, I am happy to discuss this with anyone. However, there are two absolutes that need to be established to have a constructive dialogue.

First, Israel has the right to exist as a sovereign and Jewish state. If there are those in the general or Jewish community who feel otherwise, it is a line in the sand that makes it unlikely we could have a simple “agree to disagree” conversation.

The second absolute is that Israel has the right to defend itself. Neither of these statements should be controversial. Just like here in the United States, we can disagree on politics and how wars are fought, but we do not give space to those who question our right to exist.

In November, there was a rally in Downtown Dayton which called the actions of Israel in Gaza a genocide. Sammy Caruso, a local Jewish individual, sought to speak for the Jewish community in giving credibility to this notion. His use of words like “supremacy,” and “ethnic cleansing” is dangerous and makes our own Jewish community less safe.

The words stoke the flames of antisemitism — resulting in an exponential increase in anti-Jewish acts of hate. The Jewish people know too well what genocide is, a term coined after the systematic killing of Jews in Nazi Germany.

It is offensive to the memory of the dead and to Holocaust survivors to claim the war in Gaza meets the criteria of genocide. This categorization eliminates the opportunity for real dialogue.

The rally’s moderator, a pastor, was quoted as saying, “Our goal is to get everybody to call it genocide, so I’m calling it genocide. It’s the word that Palestinians themselves have asked us to use. It’s an extreme situation. And I think it’s important to use the word they ask us to use.”

He admits his use of the word is only because one side has asked. The use of the term is not based on facts and on what is required for a genocide to have occurred — just the request of one party.

After The Dayton Jewish Observer wrote an article about the rally, Caruso made a social media statement in which he said, “Zionism is being questioned more openly within Jewish communities, and even long-standing institutions are beginning to reflect that change.”

I reiterate to the entire community — the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton stands with Israel. There is no shift in that thinking and I strongly reject any implication to the contrary.

Unfortunately, anti-Israel sentiment and blatant antisemitism are part of our everyday lives. What is especially painful and difficult to understand is when it comes from within the Jewish community. That is not to imply I think Caruso is antisemitic, but anti-Zionism is quite often used as an excuse by others for antisemitic speech and acts of hate.

Aside from the indisputable fact that the Jewish people had long called Israel home, the Holocaust created the absolute need for a Jewish state — a place we could feel safe, rebuild, and create flourishing communities. We feel a deep, familial connection and immense pride in our homeland. In a sea of nations that for 80 years have attacked its right to exist with war and propaganda, Israel perseveres.

The bigger question in combating this anti-Israel, antisemitic rhetoric is what can we do? The other side is well-organized and has done an excellent job demonizing Israel and the Jewish people, but this is nothing new.

We must continue educating our children, ourselves, and our general communities about Judaism and the history of Israel. We must ask our allies to stand with us, loudly and proudly. When there is space for respectful dialogue, have conversations. Most of all, do not hide. Be Jewish. Our light will continue to burn brightly, even when others try to extinguish it.

Am Yisrael Chai — The People of Israel live.

Dan Sweeny is president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.

To read the complete January 2026 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.