“You justified terrorism in Israel, which is justifying 9/11. There is no justification for terrorism.”
Barr was then escorted out of the synagogue. But she was not deterred. She re-entered the shul, and went into the room where kiddish was being prepared. In that room were many young mothers with their children. The pro-Israel stalwart explained the situation, and then moved on into the lunch room where all the dignitaries and members were having a meal. Barr continued explaining why it was important for everyone to know what Ban had done to, and said about Israel.
When Ban left the shul, Liz Berney of the Zionist Organization of America, shouted to him: “How dare you justify terrorism against innocent Israelis as a response to ‘occupation.’ There is no occupation. It’s our land! There’s no justification for terror! You’re promoting terrorism!” Berney had been handing out the ZOA flyers on the sidewalk outside of the shul.
Berney told the JewishPress.com that every person to whom she handed a ZOA flyer said they agreed with what was in the material, and many said they were unhappy that Rabbi Schneier invited him to the shul.
One woman was almost in tears. She told Berney that her mother was a Holocaust survivor, and that if she knew what was happening “she’d turn over in her grave.”
Hillary Barr, the activist who challenged Ban before his speech to the synagogue ended her account of the day by remarking that she felt what she did “empowered others to speak out and [that it] sent the message we will not be silent.”
This article has been updated after permission was granted to include the name of one of the pro-Israel activists, and to reflect that the ZOA activist, Liz Berney, was standing outside and handing out flyers on the sidewalk in front of the synagogue, not in a parking lot.