Three Cheers for Democrat Gov. Shapiro

Good for Pennsylvania Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has headlined this:

Hundreds rally for Gaza in Philly, stop to protest outside Goldie falafel shop

Gov. Josh Shapiro was critical of protesters who chanted outside of Goldie, an Israeli-style falafel shop co-owned by Michael Solomonov.

The Inquirer reports:

Hundreds of protesters marched through Center City and University City to show their support for Gaza and demand a permanent cease-fire. It’s the latest in sustained local efforts aiming to call attention to the war and its fallout.

Protesters were critical of some local businesses, including Goldie in Center City, an Israeli-style falafel shop. Goldie is part of the CookNSolo group, which is co-owned by Israeli-born Michael Solomonov. Last month, a small group protested outside CookNSolo’s Laser Wolf in Fishtown, and in October, an Instagram post by the Philly Palestine Coalition called for a boycott of several Philadelphia restaurants, including CookNSolo’s.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro responded to a video of protesters chanting in front of Goldie, calling the stop in front of the business a “blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest.”

“A restaurant was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli,” said Shapiro on X, formerly Twitter, adding he’s reached out to owner Solomonov to share his support.

“I can’t believe I even have to say this but targeting businesses simply because they’re Jewish owned is despicable. Philadelphia stands against this sort of harassment and hate,” said U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Philladelphia) on X.

Led by the Philly Palestine Coalition, protesters also marched through Center City chanting “while you’re watching, bombs are dropping” to Eagles fans in bars….

Protest organizers vowed to keep speaking out in support of Gaza. Next weekend, there are plans to bus Philadelphians to Harrisburg for a statewide protest calling for a cease-fire.

The night ended largely without incident, save for some incidents of graffiti in University City calling for a “free Gaza.” Police, who helped quell the tempers of frustrated drivers stuck in traffic, said no arrests were made as a result of the march.

Again, three cheers for Shapiro. And also for U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Philadelphia Democrat. Shapiro is decidedly no “Squad” Democrat. He is Jewish himself in a state where Pennsylvania voters have a bipartisan history of electing Jews to office. Long preceding Shapiro in the governor’s chair was Democrat Milton Shapp. And the longest-serving senator in Pennsylvania history (30 years) was the late Republican Sen. Arlen Specter. (READ MORE: Biden Wants Hamas to Win)

Pennsylvanians learn along their educational path that the namesake founder of their state — William Penn — converted to Quakerism from the Anglican Church.  And as a Quaker in England, he and his fellow Quakers were subject to persecution for their Quaker beliefs, with Penn himself imprisoned.

The British Crown owed money to young Penn’s late father. Penn struck a deal. In 1681, as the site Learn Religions and various Penn biographies explain, Penn obtained “a charter for a colony in America, in exchange for canceling the debt” owed to his father. King Charles II himself “came up with the name” for the new colony: Pennsylvania — “Forests of Penn.”

The site goes on to note this:

Perhaps the most radical move William Penn made was complete religious tolerance in Pennsylvania. He remembered too well the court battles and prison sentences he had served in England. In Quaker fashion, Penn saw no threat from other religious groups. He believed each person had to seek God in his or her own way.

While the other American colonies each had an official church, Pennsylvania did not. Penn even offered free land to some of the groups. However, only Christians were allowed to vote and hold political office.

Word quickly got back to Europe. Pennsylvania was soon flooded with immigrants, including English, Irish, Germans, Catholics, and Jews, as well as a wide variety of persecuted Protestant denominations.

Say again — it is recorded history that, as far back as the late 17th century, William Penn himself made a point of religious tolerance, welcoming Jewish immigrants and those of other faiths to settle and prosper in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is a long way from 1681. But that invitation to Jews to come settle and prosper in Pennsylvania still stands. And that history should reinforce exactly what Shapiro’s words of support for that Jewish-owned deli Goldie emphasize.

Again, the governor said that what was on display in front of a business co-owned by Michael Solomonov, who is both Jewish and Israeli, was, in fact, a “blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest.”

Indeed, it was.

There was no room for anti-Semitism in William Penn’s days when he was inviting Jewish immigrants to settle in Pennsylvania.

And there is no room for it now.

Good for Shapiro for quickly speaking out against this vivid anti-Semitic bigotry. Somewhere, William Penn is smiling.

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