A Message from Mayor Shapiro

We are living through a time of divisiveness and unease. We have seen it play out again this past week in Minnesota with the targeted political murder and shooting of politicians. In recent months, we have also seen a troubling rise in antisemitism. We have seen a young couple killed in Washington, D.C., and others victimized by someone throwing a Molotov cocktail in Boulder, Co. Our neighbors, friends and family members have been made to feel afraid simply because of who they are or how they pray. This is not just an affront to the Jewish community, it’s an affront to everyone. Folks are afraid to wear a Star of David around their neck or walk across a college campus.

Political violence, whether emerging from the left or the right, and whether it’s cloaked in ideology or driven by rage, has no place in Deerfield or anywhere else. We can argue passionately but violence cannot be a tool for political change. Articulating and advocating for our differences is not a weakness but rather reflects our greatest strengths. That’s how we grow and learn and adapt. Yet, extremism cannot be mistaken for a badge of courage; and true strength lies not with those who shout the loudest, but rather through those who listen thoughtfully without rushing to judgment or uncontrolled rage.

Deerfield was and is built on the values of inclusion, respect and compassion. While we may not always agree on policy, we will always agree on something more important — that hate has no home here. We are bound by the promise of a shared future, and this moment demands our shared commitment to humanity.

Hatred and division do not disappear by accident. It will not retreat simply because we wish it to be so. It begins with the courage to call out hate when we encounter it. It starts with how we communicate with each other, and the words we choose when we disagree. It matters what we post online and how we teach our kids to treat people who are different.

So, let us stand together against hate of all kinds. Let us stand against antisemitism, political violence and the ideologies that fan their flames. Let us stand for decency, for daily acts of kindness that bind us together and for the principle that our children should grow up not in fear, but with purpose. We must lower the temperature and raise our standards. We must choose dignity over insults, dialogue over destruction, compassion over contempt.

Together, we can push back the darkness and make room for more light to shine in our schools, houses of worship, volunteer drives and throughout our Village. I’ve witnessed how we stand up for one another during challenging times when we face our challenges together, with courage and humanity. That is Deerfield. That is who we are.

Now is the time to renew our promise to each other — that even in the face of division, we will choose unity. Even when the world feels angry, we will choose kindness. And even when it’s easier to look away, we will choose to stand up. We are stronger together. I am proud of our community. I am proud of who we are.

Thank you,

Mayor Daniel C. Shapiro