Let love grow where vandals’ hatred lies

We learned, according to a Press article, that vandals destroyed a tree in memory of Anne Frank in G.O. Phippeny Park at Eighth Street and Montana Avenue. The small tree that was planted in 2006 accompanied a plaque honoring Anne Frank.

According to Nick Goodwin, city of Coeur d’Alene urban forester, this is the third time a tree in this site has been intentionally damaged. Given the history of our area, it is reasonable to conclude that this incident was motivated by antisemitism.

Anne Frank was a German-Dutch Jewish victim of the Holocaust. At age 16, she was murdered by the Nazi occupation force in the Netherlands. Anne left a diary behind, The Diary of a Young Girl, in which she documented two years of her life in hiding. Her book is well-known and for many years it has been recommended reading for high school students in the West.

An anonymous local citizen donated the original tree and plaque 14 years ago and was probably involved in the replacement of the tree the two more times it was destroyed by antisemitism. It is now time to replace this tree. Mr. Goodwin is also considering moving the monument to a more visible area of the park where it can be properly monitored.

We called Mr. Goodwin to place our name on the list of persons willing to make a donation toward this project and hope that this brief note becomes an invitation to other citizens to do the same. Antisemitism, like any other form of violent and non-violent discrimination, has no place in our city. It is important to remember that it is by our initiative that we shall proceed to redeem and improve our world.

Consider donating to this memorial and even participating in the celebration of its new placement since this tree replanting calls for a celebration of solidarity. Just as this incident awakened our consciousness to what is wrong and how it should be made right, perhaps more than one tree ought to be planted at the new site (once it has been selected) and our city’s leadership be involved in this ceremony. We believe in God with all our heart, all our soul and all our might. May our actions actualize such beliefs.

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Paul Alvarez is a Coeur d’Alene resident.