While I serve professionally as executive director of the Maine Jewish Museum, I write here in my personal capacity as a member of Maine’s Jewish community to publicly thank state Sen. Joe Baldacci for his leadership and moral courage over many years of public service.

Over the past several months, I — along with many Jewish Mainers — have experienced an atmosphere of growing hostility surrounding conversations about Israel, antisemitism and Jewish identity. Regardless of one’s politics, it should concern all of us when people begin to feel that expressing grief, fear or solidarity may carry social or professional consequences.

What I have appreciated about Sen. Baldacci is not simply his position on particular issues, but his willingness to engage in difficult conversations with seriousness, fairness and humanity. He has acknowledged both the complexity of these issues and the very real pain many Jewish people are carrying right now. That matters.

Dawn LaRochelle
Portland