In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Carole Zawatsky was invited by Governor Josh Shapiro to participate in a Passover Seder a year ago. This Seder was held in a room at the governor’s residence that was only recently targeted by an arsonist shortly after this year’s Jewish holiday celebration.
Zawatsky, now reflecting on images of the damage, vividly recalls the very spot she sat and contemplates how catastrophic the attack could have been. Like many in the community, she awaits more information from the investigators, their inquiries overshadowed by the attacker’s apparently erratic behavior and historical statements.
This incident deeply affected Pennsylvania’s Jewish community, a state where similar pains are all too familiar. It was directed at the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania, Shapiro, in a place he had just used for an important religious observance.
Zawatsky leads an organization in Pittsburgh that was established to combat antisemitism and honor the victims of a previous tragedy – the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in October 2018, which claimed 11 lives and marked the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. “The devastation portrayed in those photos is profoundly distressing,” stated Zawatsky, CEO of The Tree of Life, an organization founded post the horrific 2018 event. “Our faith should be practiced without the shadow of fear,” she insisted.
While the Pittsburgh tragedy’s motive was hate-driven, thus clear-cut, the Harrisburg incident remains unfocused with investigators disclosing limited insights into the suspect, Cody Balmer’s statements. Reports suggest mental illness struggles for Balmer, which his defense appears likely to highlight. Properties desecrated, and threatening statements about Governor Shapiro signal some form of animosity. Pennsylvania State Police detailed Balmer’s confession to attacking and despising Shapiro, involving claims linked to the Palestinian community, yet the specific meanings remain ambiguous.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer urged the Justice Department to assess if the incident constituted a federal hate crime. Audrey Glickman, who survived the 2018 synagogue attack, lauded Shapiro for maintaining calmness and speaking harshly against hate, whatever its roots. Shapiro was previously the attorney general who responded to the Pittsburgh massacre and as governor, engaged in rebuilding projects featuring memorials and educational initiatives against antisemitism.
About 200 individuals marched solemnly in Harrisburg, exhibiting solidarity by journeying from a synagogue’s lot to the governor’s residence for a multifaith vigil. Many participants linked the attack to today’s overheated political climate, emphasizing the growing unease among Jewish institutions requiring heightened security.
The alleged attacker’s mental state is under scrutiny with Balmer’s mother and brother mentioning his bipolar disorder and issues adhering to medication. Documentation reveals his expressions of animosity towards Shapiro, displaying psychological and emotional instability. Mary Klatt, the chief public defender for Dauphin County, noted the possible impact of Balmer’s mental health on the accusations, adding that his preliminary hearing will extend to assess trial competency.
Governor Shapiro refrained from conjecturing on Balmer’s motives, deferring to eventual prosecutorial conclusions. Shapiro, who has publicly voiced criticisms towards Israeli policies while supporting the nation’s defense rights, had never veered into antagonism against Palestinians, clarified Hank Butler from the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition. Assertions against the governor, like Balmer’s, hold no substance or acceptance, Butler affirmed.
Shapiro, successful in several statewide elections and considered a potential presidential candidate, found his personal narrative reinforced by these developments. His Jewish identity and advocacy for Israel surfaced amid political discourses questioning loyalty perceptions among specific voter groups during past election cycles. Rabbi Rick Jacobs remarked on the perils faced by public figures with these inclinations.
Zawatsky underscored the Passover ritual’s significance, urging people to internalize the story of liberation from enslavement. Though not all motives may gain clarity, living with the perpetual fear of antisemitism remains a shared challenge, she reflected. “The sorrow lies in our transmitted intergenerational struggles with antisemitism’s dread, but never did I anticipate encountering it so violently in our time,” she commented.