Duxbury Football Team Used Antisemitic Slurs for a Decade

JUNE 17, 2021 – 7 TAMMUZ 5781 JEWISH JOURNAL VOL 45, NO 23 JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG REPORT: DUXBURY FOOTBALL TEAM USED ANTISEMITIC SLURS FOR A DECADE By Steven A. Rosenberg the town after school officials JOURNAL STAFF learned that a Duxbury player had verbally called out a play The Duxbury High football termed “Auschwitz” in a March team, which used Holocaust 12 game against Plymouth and Jewish phrases during plays North. Later that month, the – such as “Auschwitz,” “rabbi” school district fired the football and “yarmulke” – violated sev- coach, Dave Maimaron. eral of the school district’s poli- The investigation was per- cies over the last decade. formed by Attorney Edward That was the conclusion of Mitnick of Just Training an investigation into the inci- Solutions. The report was dent, which was outlined in released to Antonucci, the a summary of the report by school superintendent, on June Superintendent John Antonucci 7 and a summary report was and posted to the school’s web- posted on the district’s website site on June 10. on June 10. The main report According to the summary, focused on the actions of play- the team has used antisemit- ers, coaches and the general ic plays for at least a decade, culture of the football program. used homophobic slurs and The report includes interviews profanity on the sidelines, and with 52 witnesses, including regularly held a Catholic Mass current and former coaches, before games for years, in viola- players, along with parents, tion of the U.S. Constitution, teachers and administrators. the Massachusetts Constitution “The report itself is approxi- and court rulings that preclude mately 56 pages in length and sectarian instruction in public includes detailed information Photo: Karen Wong schools. The Duxbury High football team used the play “Auschwitz” during a game in March. of a highly personal nature The full report could not be relative to various individuals,” released, Antonnuci’s summary reotyping,” said Robert Trestan, firms the need for institutional death camp in Poland during Antonucci wrote in the summa- said, because of privacy con- Anti-Defamation League New change. ADL is continuing to World War II, where more than ry report. “Given the statutorily cerns under state law. England regional director. “Pre- work with district officials as 1 million Jews were murdered protected privacy rights of the “Duxbury let their players game religious services violate changes are implemented.” – including at least 200,000 chil- various witnesses, participants, and the community down by Constitutional protections and The team’s use of the word dren. It was also a center of tor- and staff members identified in allowing winning games to take ignore the power imbalance Auschwitz made national and turous medical “experiments” the report, as well as the person- precedence over fostering an between students and their international headlines after by Nazis that killed thousands. nel record nature of the docu- environment that is inclusive coaches. The systemic problem it was first reported in March. The report was part of an ment, the following summary and free of bias, slander and ste- documented in the report con- Auschwitz-Birkenau was a Nazi investigation commissioned by continued on page 9 Happy campers: Summer sleepaways return for Jewish kids By Ethan M. Forman increased outdoor activities with as little JOURNAL STAFF masking as possible. The Cohen Camps – Camp Tel Noar in Elle Seller of Swampscott said she cried Hampstead, N.H., Camp Tevya in Brookline, when she learned Camp Tel Noar, like other N.H., and Camp Pembroke, a girls’ camp in Jewish camps in the region, would be can- Pembroke – are getting set to open in a mat- celed last summer due to the pandemic. ter of days. “I was planning to go to camp last year, “This year we’re opening, we’re pretty COVID happened, and it was very upsetting excited about that,” said Jonathan Cohen, to me,” said Seller, 17, a junior at Swampscott the third generation president of The Cohen High. “I knew it was going to be canceled, it Camps, founded by Eli and Bessie Cohen in was just the hope it would be there.” 1935. This summer, Jewish camps are making “Everything that we would normally offer a comeback after not being able to open at camp, we’ll be able to have at camp this last year, suffering a financial hit, and losing summer,” said Amanda Charson, Camp Tel their ability to foster a Jewish identity among Noar’s assistant director. What campers may their young charges. notice are fewer campers on site during each The camps are reopening amid some session, to allow for social distancing. pandemic restrictions, which means a quar- The camps will be reopening amid chang- antine period before camp, COVID testing, ing guidelines from state and federal public fewer campers to maintain social distancing, health officials. the creation of the kind of camp bubbles in “You know, every few days,” Cohen which no campers and staff go in or out, and continued on page 8 Camp Tel Noar in New Hampshire will open again after closing last sumer. TAKING CARE OF YOUR MONEY, AND YOU. Our expert guidance and services will help you feel better about your money. Talk to us today. Boston | Chelsea | Burlington | Framingham | Lawrence | Lynn | Melrose | Newton | Peabody | Salem | Tewksbury MetroCU.org | 877.MY.METRO Insured by NCUA | Member MSIC The Jewish Journal is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and charitable organizations. Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – JUNE 17, 2021 COMMUNITY NEWS Gann Academy’s ShenaniGanns a hit with Fenway fans at Jewish Heritage Night By Ethan M. Forman 7-1. The ballpark appeared to JOURNAL STAFF be about three-quarters full after the state lifted pandemic BOSTON – Gann Academy’s capacity limits on May 29. a capella group, ShenaniGanns, Gann Academy history knocked it out of the park sing- teacher and Israel curriculum ing the national anthem on the coordinator Jonathan Golden field during Jewish Heritage threw out the ceremonial first Night at Fenway Park on June 8. pitch. Those who purchased While the group from the tickets for Jewish Heritage Waltham Jewish day school has Night through a special offer been rehearsing and perform- received a Wally bobblehead ing virtually, this was its first doll wearing a kippah from the live performance since the start team store on Jersey Street. of the coronavirus pandemic. Wearing gray T-shirts with The singing group took to “Gann Academy” written on the the field on a hot, humid over- front, the group’s performance cast night with some drizzle in was shown on the Jumbotron, the late innings before the Red and drew loud applause from Sox lost to the Houston Astros, the Fenway faithful. Photo: Courtesy of the Boston Red Sox Gann Academy students perform the national anthem at Fenway Park during Jewish Heritage Night on June 8. Preparation was an impor- that other stuff. But then I’ve klezmer music and kosher tant aspect of their perfor- seen the videos my friends and snacks, according to a story in Mill River Consulting mance, as the group practiced family have taken and seeing the Times of Israel. Gloucester, MA the anthem leading up to their myself on the Jumbotron, see- Of the eight players who are appearance, said senior Joshua ing myself on the field, like it’s Jewish in the Major Leagues Sherman of Lexington, who crazy to see that was actually this season, none are on the Creative solutions for land development plans to attend Bates College me.” Red Sox roster, but Astros star ENGINEER • DESIGN • ADVISE in Lewiston, Maine, in the fall. “It’s just you have to just look third baseman Alex Bregman “This was really the big per- around and be in the moment,” had a hit and a walk during the formance of the year. This was Raby said. When singing, she game. 978-282-0014 the only time we got to perform had to focus on what she was “Getting rescheduled for that live anywhere since everything doing because of the echo and this year,” Sherman said, “and www.millriverconsulting.com has really been virtual. the sounds swirling around the getting that experience of being So that was exhilarating park. the Jewish representation for being out there especially in “You have to focus on what such a special event that takes front of how many people it you are singing and what you place before every single base- Workers’ Compensation was,” said Sherman, who said are there to do and take it all ball game that’s played in the this was the biggest audi- in,” Raby said. United States, knowing that we and Personal Injury Lawyers ence he and the rest of the Due to the pandemic, got to be part of that was crazy,” ShenaniGanns were ever in Sherman said the weekend- Sherman said. front of for a performance. The long Kolot Hayam Jewish The ShenaniGanns took to group is made up of about 14 Choral Festival the group usu- the field before another emo- singers, Sherman said. ally takes part in at Ramah Day tional moment of the evening, “It was like surreal,” said Camp in Nyack, N.Y., with other when 7-year-old Lucy Frates – junior Sydney Raby of Newton. Northeast Jewish day school the daughter of the late Pete “It was crazy. I’ve never sang for choirs has been virtual for the Frates of Beverly who helped that many people before, and last two years. popularize the ALS Ice Bucket just getting to be at Fenway, During this time, the group Challenge and who died in 2019 on Jewish Heritage Night, sing- has been performing virtual, – threw out a ceremonial first ing the national anthem, it just prerecorded music, “but this is pitch.

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