We’d like to take some time to respond to concerns we have seen in our comments. A thread:
[1/25]

We don’t find Twitter to be an appropriate platform for having these types of deeply intimate and personal conversations, especially as experiences and opinions vary so strongly between groups and individuals within the Jewish community. [2/25]

It also gives a platform for non-Jews to step in and add their two cents where it’s largely not appropriate - this goes double when they start to retweet information that is either inaccurate, or outside their understanding.

With that said... [3/25]

We have seen an outpouring of concern by Jews regarding our memorial, & want to make clear that we have been listening, & understand how hard this was for some to see, as fellow Jews processing our own generational struggles, we empathize with and are sorry for your pain. [4/25]

We also understand that our memorial, being held by an openly antifacist/anti-zionist abolitionist group was likely far outside of what is commonly thought of in regards to Jewish memorials and experiences. [5/25]

As there aren’t many Jewish spaces in Portland, and even fewer leftist Jewish spaces, we understand how our memorial may have gotten more screentime than it would elsewhere with a wealth of other memorials and events surrounding Holocaust Remembrance Day. [6/25]

In that way, we understand how difficult it must be to not see yourself and your personal form of grief represented in the memorial space we created, especially on a day so steeped in the remembrance of trauma and loss. [7/25]

We heard from some how difficult it was to experience an event asking for intersectionality w/ the leftist community & that “goys” were present. We believe for our future safety that we need to find ways to see ourselves more fully represented in the gentile community... [8/25]

& to share our history to prevent this from ever happening again. In 2019 13% of hate crimes committed in the US and 2/3 of all religious hate crimes were against Jews. We need other people who are willing to stand up against fascism and white supremacy to be our allies. [9/25]

Given the repeated violence against Jews throughout history, it’s understandable to want to isolate and stick together only amongst our own for survival, but our group - MatzahBloc specifically - is challenging that mindset, [10/25]

Esp when it can so easily lead to xenophobia and lack of accountability toward others who are suffering. That’s not who we are. We - an abolitionist group - make conscious steps towards abolition whenever possible, driven by the violence done to our family and community. [11/25]

For those who have stepped into our comments with the intent to voice your concerns but have done so by bringing forward “I’m a better Jew than you” / “my grief is more relevant than your grief” rebukes, we will not participate. [12/25]

We have Jewish people of various backgrounds in our group and asking for or challenging our credentials is inappropriate, and outright antisemitic. [13/25]

If your concern is Jews criticizing other Jews on the day of the Holocaust Remembrance Day, please note that that is what we - as a group of Jews managing one of the few memorials in town - experienced at the hands of a small handful of leftist and their followers. [14/25]

The hypocrisy has not gone unnoticed, and we won’t stand by as Jews work to tear other Jews down, especially on such an open platform where non-Jews and violent right-wing groups have full access and sway. [15/25]

We have already seen the spread of misinformation regarding our Bloc and our memorial just within a span of 24 hours. [16/25]

One individual in our comments claimed that we - 100% of MatzahBloc - don’t know what Dachau is, or how to spell it - not only is this patently false, it erases the existence of the Jewish man who spoke at our memorial, who has personally visited Dachau. [17/25]

There’s a rumor MB started the dumpster fire that happened later in the night after the memorial had ended. Conflating this fire w/ the vigil was extremely disrespectful for those in attendance, & has been used as a way to tear down our openly leftist & anti-Zionist group [18/25]

These & other misconceptions are gaining speed due to open speculation & name calling. On a more personal level, there have been hurtful assumptions made that other Jewish people’s pain / the significance of their family being murdered in the Shoah is greater than ours [19/25]

This is all because we as a group created a space that reflects us, looking for intersectionality and camaraderie with the leftist community we are building mutual aid networks with. [20/25]

For those following our account, if you haven’t yet reviewed our bio or our website, we have made clear that we are a rarified group of radical leftists, but we are not holding a monopoly over Judaism in Portland. [21/25]

If we aren’t holding the events you’d like to see that reflect your experience, we encourage you to organize & create spaces that reflect you & the ideals you're passionate about. [22/25]

We also welcome discussion from any fellow Jews who wish to discuss delicate matters in a safe and respectful manner. Lastly, if you have felt compelled to enter into emotional rhetoric over our memorial - while we do invite thoughtful critique - [23/25]

- we are also all-too aware of the extent to which scapegoating of the Jewish people has been habituated into our own behavior. Please take a moment to reflect on whether your concerns should truly be levied at fellow Jews... [24/25]

...or if the focus on blaming Jews for hurts regarding things such as Holocaust Memorials is not truly a misdirection we’ve all been taught as a means to destroy ourselves from the inside to the benefit of the real oppressors. [25/25]