Criticism against ADL ignores the threat of antisemitism people like me suffer | Opinion

Fighting antisemitism

I lived through four and a half years of antisemitic harassment. My case was brought to justice in part through the efforts of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a 112-year-old organization. A recently published opinion failed to capture the impact of ADL and how it helped my family.

My husband was executive director of the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh for 23 years. He retired shortly before the horrific 2018 attack, when 11 of our friends and congregants were murdered and six others wounded during Shabbat morning services.

Not long afterward, we began receiving violent, threatening calls and voicemails that continued nearly five years. The caller used vulgar slurs, told us to “go back to Auschwitz,” targeted my oldest child by name and threatened to kill us. She even gloated about the Tree of Life murders. The harassment was real, frightening and relentless.

Federal authorities took the threats seriously, but the calls continued. After we moved to Florida, I filed an incident report with ADL. The staff immediately recognized the calls had escalated into prosecutable threats. Thanks to the ADL’s unwavering support and coordination with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local police, charges were brought against an individual who was later sentenced to nearly 32 months in prison. This is what ADL’s mission looks like in practice: life-saving, unwavering and deeply human support for anyone negatively impacted by hate and antisemitism.

The violent attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia in December underscores what Jewish communities around the world already know: antisemitism is a contemporary problem not confined by borders and its consequences can be deadly when left unchecked.

The ADL provides free legal assistance to victims of antisemitism through its Legal Action Network, invests in research and technology and most importantly, stands with victims. Everyone of goodwill must do the same. Antisemitism is not partisan. The fight against it requires urgency, empathy and steadfast conviction.

Linda Myers,

Boca Raton

Affordable Miami-Dade

As we begin a new year, I thank the families of Miami-Dade County for the opportunity to serve them. Through town halls, community events, neighborhood visits and thousands of calls, texts and emails, my team and I hear directly from residents daily. Concerns range from potholes and illegal dumping to speeding and traffic safety, but one issue comes up everywhere: affordability.

Residents often ask: do I really own my home, or am I just renting it from the government?

That serious question is always on my mind. Homeownership is the foundation of family stability. It allows people to put down roots, build security and pass something on to the next generation. When housing costs rise unpredictably, that sense of stability is threatened. That is why I support meaningful state-level reform to cut or eliminate property taxes, especially for seniors who deserve certainty and peace of mind as they age in place.

Longtime residents should not be taxed out of the homes they worked decades to keep. Property taxes should not be the reason a young family delays buying their first home. At the county level, homeowners deserve a government that respects their money and focuses on core responsibilities. That means holding the line on taxes and fees, cutting waste and demanding accountability for every dollar spent.

Recently, we advanced reforms to increase transparency and performance standards for Community Based Organization funding, as every public dollar comes from a family budget. Residents also deserve a government that is accessible and responsive. Through mobile office hours, neighborhood outreach and a text message helpline, our office stays present and engaged. Last year alone, we handled more than a thousand constituent cases and helped deliver safer streets, traffic-calming near schools and infrastructure improvements across our district.

Protecting homeowners means responsible spending, reliable services and respect for taxpayers. That is how we keep Miami-Dade affordable and strong for generations to come.

Natalie Milian Orbis,

commissioner,

Miami-Dade County

Nothing’s changed

On Jan. 5, Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody and all of South Florida’s Republican U.S. Representatives sang the praises of Donald Trump on TV for removing Maduro from Venezuela. They all acted like this was proof that Trump wants to bring freedom and democracy to Venezuela and soon, to Cuba. The crowd went wild in support.

Do they realize that, except for Maduro, Venezuela’s entire corrupt regime is still in power?

The same secret police, the same corrupt military, the same “socialists” are still running the country and will run the next election, if or when it ever happens. Trump specifically refused to let Nobel Peace prize winner María Corina Machado have a role, or Edmundo González, the man who actually won the last election with 70% of the vote, claiming they were unpopular. Scott and Moody not only seem totally fine with that, but also to openly lie to their fellow Floridians.

Are Floridians crazy enough to keep believing their lies?

Dan Spotts,

Ocean Ridge

Gables development

A proposal recently advanced by Coral Gables City Commissioner Melissa Castro to modify Live Local eligibility by using a city’s median income, rather than Miami-Dade County’s median income, is ill-advised and would have significant unintended consequences for certain communities.

Because Coral Gables’ median income is substantially higher than the county’s, this proposal would make Live Local projects far more attractive to developers, not because they advance true affordability, but because they expand the financial incentives tied to extraordinary zoning, height and density exemptions. In a fully built-out city with established neighborhoods, this approach would further incentivize using Live Local while eroding long-standing local planning authority.

We are already seeing Live Local used less as a workforce housing tool and more as a development strategy that prioritizes scale over compatibility, density over infrastructure capacity and financial return over neighborhood character. Projects increasingly move forward with limited meaningful community input, even as they introduce intensity that is fundamentally incompatible with surrounding neighborhoods.

Coral Gables is a carefully planned city shaped by decades of community engagement. While we support targeted housing solutions that reflect local conditions, I will not support proposals that weaken local zoning authority or compromise residents’ quality of life. Protecting the character, livability and long-term sustainability of the city must remain paramount.

Vince Lago,

mayor,

Coral Gables

Arts leader

I was greatly saddened when I read about the death of Alan Greer. I knew and tremendously admired him in my capacity as director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.

His obituary covered his illustrious professional career and many civic accomplishments. However, he also was chairman of the Cultural Affairs Council, the volunteer advisory board of Miami-Dade’s Department of Cultural Affairs (then, the Council of Arts and Sciences). His commitment to and passion for the arts was extraordinary.

He used his civic prominence and wise judgment to steer the Council through its early days of growth and helped establish this group as a powerful force for advancing the development of the arts in our community. I will forever be grateful for his leadership, support and friendship.

Michael Spring,

director emeritus,

Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs,

Miami

Best use award

The citizens of Minneapolis should be reminded that President Trump is the recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize.

Mario Signorello,

Port St. Lucie

This story was originally published January 9, 2026 at 11:50 AM.