Jody Goldsmith and Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

As we approach the High Holidays, we have much to celebrate and, understandably, reasons to worry. Fortunately, Jews in Baltimore and the Greater Washington area have long benefited from strong Jewish federations and Jewish Community Relations Councils (JCRCs) that build relationships with elected officials and advocate for the community.

But for those of us living in Annapolis and throughout the Chesapeake region, we lacked that coordinated strategy and team.

That is why, less than a year ago, Jewish organizations and leaders came together to form the new Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake. We are all volunteers and are moving quickly. We are building the relationships, partnerships and advocacy infrastructure our community needs, especially when it comes to fighting antisemitism and keeping our people safe.

Thankfully, we are not doing it alone. Our Jewish community has strong friends in neighboring Jewish organizations and in government who share the values of tikkun olam and are willing to stand with us.

Maryland is home to approximately 250,000 Jews, one of the largest Jewish communities in the United States. Yet we are also living with the frightening reality of rising antisemitism, from hateful graffiti and online threats to intimidation at Jewish institutions and serious incidents of antisemitic incitement.

Synagogues, religious schools, day care centers and community organizations have responded by strengthening physical security, adding personnel and developing emergency protocols. These measures are necessary, but they are expensive. And no community should have to bear the entire burden of paying for security simply because others choose to target us with hate.

Maryland’s State Government Has Stepped Up

Gov. Wes Moore, Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, Senate President Bill Ferguson and legislators from both political parties have consistently stood with Maryland’s Jewish community.

But there is an important lesson that Jews have sadly learned in our history: If you’re not at the table, you can end up on the menu. And in politics, it’s not only who we know; it’s who knows us.

Until recently, many state leaders did not know that there was a Jewish community in Annapolis and throughout the Chesapeake region. That has changed. With the State House and Governor’s Mansion essentially in our backyard, we are showing up, requesting meetings, attending events and getting to know the people who make decisions that affect our community.

That matters not only for antisemitism and security, but for a wide range of issues. Relationships make it easier to be heard when decisions are being made.

Gov. Moore has been there for us time and again, attending rallies following Oct. 7, speaking at Maryland Jewish Advocacy Day, joining Jewish community events and meeting privately with Jewish leaders about keeping our communities safe.

As Gov. Moore has said, “There is no greater goal for any chief executive than ensuring their people feel safe where they live, where they work, and where they worship.”

He and Maryland legislators have backed those words with action. The state doubled funding to $10 million for hate-crime protection grants, helping synagogues, houses of worship and vulnerable nonprofits strengthen their security.

State leaders also supported important bipartisan legislation sponsored by Republican state Sen. Chris West, SB 177, which protects access to houses of worship by prohibiting physical obstruction and establishing protections around their perimeters. No Marylander should be blocked or intimidated from entering a house of worship to pray.

These actions matter. They send a clear message: Jewish Marylanders are not alone, and protecting our community is a shared responsibility.

To express our community’s appreciation, as part of the Jewish Federations of North America’s OneMitzvahADay, the Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake delivered kosher Maryland honey and a thank-you letter signed by 2,789 people to Gov. Moore, Speaker Peña-Melnyk, President Ferguson, every member of the Maryland General Assembly and members of the Anne Arundel County Council.

The gesture was inspired by the Jewish tradition of hakarat hatov, recognizing and expressing gratitude for the good others do.

Our elected officials could not have been warmer.

Gov. Moore has pledged that “hate will find no safe harbor in Maryland.” As Maryland Jews prepare to enter our synagogues for the High Holidays, we are grateful to know that our state leaders are helping make that promise real.

We are also grateful for something larger: the opportunity to build relationships and make a difference. Advocacy is not just something we do when there is a crisis. It is part of who we are. It is in our kishkas. We care about our community, our neighbors and our state and, frankly, it can be a lot of fun to work together, meet our leaders and see that we can actually make a difference.

That same spirit of tikkun olam is reflected in Gov. Moore’s commitment to public service. His Maryland Corps/Service Year Option program provides young people with a minimum nine-month paid opportunity to serve their communities, gain real-world experience and build a foundation for the future. The governor has said the program was partly inspired by Israel’s tradition of national service. Now, as chair of the National Governors Association, he is taking that spirit of service nationwide through the bipartisan Service United Initiative.

Thank you, Gov. Moore, Speaker Peña-Melnyk, President Ferguson and our bipartisan Maryland legislators. Your leadership matters. Your support matters. And Maryland’s Jewish community is grateful.

Jody Goldsmith is co-founder/president and Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi is co-founder/secretary of the Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake.