Rosh Hashanah begins with mixed feelings in Chicago's Jewish community

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The start of Rosh Hashanah on Wednesday night has Chicago's Jewish community reflecting on what they say has been a difficult year.

Sarah Van Loon, the Regional Director for the American Jewish Committee Chicago, told WBBM she has mixed feelings on the start of the Jewish New Year.

“There is happiness and joy when it comes to thinking about celebrating the new year and the sweetness that that brings,” she said. “But there's also, in certain senses, an emotional hangover.”

She said that for many Jews, safety has been their number one concern due to a rise in antisemitism. According to a recent FBI report, antisemitic hate crimes rose by 63% in 2023.

“If it was just a smoldering flame before October 7 of last year, it is a five alarm fire, and it has been very hard, I think, for many people in the Jewish community to feel like they can be openly Jewish,” Van Loon said.

Van Loon, though, said she will not be scared into silencing who she is.

“I'm not going to let someone's hate and bigotry take away from the most important parts of who I am,” she said.

The support of both Jews and non-Jews, she added, has been invaluable.

“That others outside of our community understood what was happening to us and how horrible that was for our community, that meant so much and that's been a part of our coping and our ability to continue to move forward,” Van Loon said.

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