A Park City Council member at a recent meeting addressed antisemitism as he discussed the killings of people attending a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.
City Councilor Jeremy Rubell, who is Jewish, made brief remarks about antisemitism during the final meeting of his term after he was unsuccessful in a reelection bid. The elected officials were not scheduled to address the topic, and the others did not respond to Rubell’s comments.
“Just to be somber here for a quick minute. The international news this week and antisemitic events that happened are really appalling, kind of fits in this context of extremism and what we need to get rid of out there,” Rubell said.
Rubell attended the meeting remotely with an online background wishing people a happy Hanukkah and featuring symbols of the Jewish holiday.
The city councilor noted he is the only Jewish elected official in Park City or Summit County.
“Now we’re going to be down to none, which is fine. I trust all of you to carry the torch forward in terms of representing everyone and really pushing for that equality out there,” he said.
Rubell described that he wants Park City to focus on inclusiveness and kindness. The municipal government prioritizes the ideal of social equity via numerous programs and policies that can be seen as advancing inclusivity.
Rubell also recalled cases of antisemitism in Park City during his four years in office.
“We had quite a bout of antisemitism within the Park City community. Some of us received postcards and letters in the mail. Kids saw those. We had people calling into meetings with hateful remarks — racial, religious and otherwise. And hopefully we’ve moved past that,” Rubell said.
In one November 2023 case, while Rubell was a member of the City Council, the elected officials received racist and antisemitic comments from people who called into a meeting. It appeared that the incident was likely part of a coordinated effort since the comments were similarly disconcerting and delivered within minutes of each other. Mayor Nann Worel then halted public input provided by people on telephones during that City Council meeting.
Rubell’s comments at the recent meeting also addressed extremism.
“The world seems to be returning to one where we’re relying more on common sense. And that the cancel culture is going out the door. That we’re evolving past extremism on any side of it, and that’s really what’s being worked out of the system. Because it’s more divisive than it is impactful, when we really try to move the needle on social issues or otherwise,” he said.
The Jewish community in the Park City area is seen as one of the most vibrant in the state, with an anchor at Temple Har Shalom in the Snyderville Basin. Park City recently marked Hanukkah with the lighting of a giant menorah at Miners Park along Main Street. Hanukkah began the evening of Dec. 14 and concluded on Monday.
Rubell was elected four years ago as a Marsac Building outsider during an election heavily influenced by the impacts of the pandemic. He struggled to generate the same voter interest this year, though, finishing a distant third in an election with just two City Council seats on the ballot.