A Jewish rabbi in Whitefish is receiving national recognition for her leadership in standing up to anti-Semitism. Rabbi Francine Roston is one of this year’s Rabbinic Human Rights Heroes, awarded by T’ruah, a nonprofit organization of rabbis that advocates for human rights.
“I'm taking it as encouragement for keeping up the fight, either for defending the Jewish people against anti-Semitic attacks, or defending any people being attacked, or ignored or intimidated against,” says Roston.
Roston was one of several people in Whitefish targeted by the neo-Nazi website “The Daily Stormer” late last year. Her personal information was shared online and readers were directed to contact her with anti-Semitic messages, which they did in droves.
The award lauds Roston’s community leadership in the face of this recent harassment and a career of standing up for Jewish values.
Tanya Gersh, another Whitefish resident targeted by the Daily Stormer, recently filed a lawsuit against the site’s founder, Andrew Anglin. Gersh is represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
