jUNe Day in Westport is a decades-long tradition.
A couple of hundred United Nations employees — staff members and their families (with an occasional ambassador) — come from New York, by train or bus.
jUNe Day guests, enjoying a Jesup Green Breakfast.
They’re welcomed at a brief breakfast, by town officials. A message from the Secretary-General is read.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker (seated, left) waits to give jUNe Day greetings. At the podium is Bill Hass, United Nations Association Southwest Connecticut chapter president.
Then they head out, with local volunteers, to experience a summer day in the suburbs. They’re invited to Longshore, Compo, Earthplace and Wakeman Town Farm. They swim, play tennis and golf and soccer, shop and eat.
It’s a well-oiled machine.
Today, for perhaps the first time ever, a bit of politics intruded.
Over 150 residents partnered with the Connecticut chapter of #EndJewHatred to organize a protest.
It was silent, out of respect for the town and Great Duck Race activities, going on simultaneously.
Part of this morning’s crowd at Jesup Green.
The event began at the Westport Woman’s Club parking lot, with prayers for the hostages and Israeli Defense Forces.
Holding signs and wearing t-shirts, protestors then walked a short distance to Jesup Green.
Organizers told “06880”: “We are Westporters. We are Westport neighbors who support the town’s economy.
“We are Jews. Maybe some of us are non-Jews.
“We are Zionists.
“We are parents. Maybe some of us have college students who face extreme antisemitism on their campuses.
“We are angry about the UN’s egregious bias against Israel, and the fact that our tax dollars are being used to host representatives of the United Nations, particularly this year, after the horrific events of October 7, and the consistently glaring antisemitic/anti-Israel efforts to delegitimize the only Jewish state.”
Celia Kaner Offir (left) and Elise Meyer. In Israel, Celia met the father of the 2 kidnapped brothers, whose faces are on her poster.
They said that the UN has “done nothing to release the remaining 116 hostages, representing 54 different countries— not just Israel — over the last 9 months.
“The UN was silent on the rape and sexual violence used against Israeli women on October 7 for months.
“Staffers of the UN agency of UNRWA were directly involved in the October 7 Hamas attack and subsequent murder and kidnapping of Israelis.
“The UN will still not condemn Hamas using its name.
“The UN singles out Israel with resolution after resolution while countries like North Korea and Iran are barely sanctioned.”
“The preposterous false charges of genocide against Israel are meritless, counterproductive and hypocritical.”
(All photos/Dan Woog)
Organizers added, “we understand that jUNe day has gone on here for 50-plus years.
“We understand that in its inception, it was not meant to be a political statement or event. However, today, the UN is a highly politically divisive organization, and inviting their employees to our town for a day in the sun is simply no longer acceptable to us.
“Sometimes the status quo needs to change. Just because we’ve operated one way for 50 years, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate going forward.
“We are all for international hospitality, but we should be hosting an organization that stands for universal equality for all.”