Gov. Cox, Lt. Gov. Henderson and Other Officials Stand In Solidarity With Ukraine
02/28/2022 07:08:46 AM
Gov. Spencer J. Cox praised the courage and patriotism of Ukrainians in the face of Russian aggression and asked Utahns to support Ukraine during a rally at the Utah State Capitol this evening.
“The assault on Ukraine has exposed Vladimir Putin for what he is—a brutal dictator hell-bent on forcing his will upon another sovereign nation without provocation,” Gov. Cox said in a statement. “Tonight, as Utahns and as Americans, we stand united against oppression. We stand united for democracy. We stand united for freedom for Ukraine.”
He also emphasized that this is Putin’s war and urged the world not to retaliate against innocent Russian people.
“Many innocent lives are at stake, those who have fled Ukraine, those who have stayed fighting for freedom, and innocent Russians who live abroad as well as those who live in Russia under Putin’s repressive regime,” Gov. Cox said. “We pray for them all tonight.”
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Senate President J. Stuart Adams, House Speaker Brad Wilson, Rep. Jordan Teuscher and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall also spoke before the crowd of an estimated 2,000 people. Fr. Anthony Savas of St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, Rabbi Sam Spector of Congregation Kol Ami offered prayers, and a Ukrainian woman named Anna offered an impromptu prayer in Ukrainian. Vlada Yaramenko, Dallyn Bayles and Yahosh Bonner performed musical numbers. The flag of Ukraine flew above the east side of the state Capitol, freeway signs changed to “Utah Stands with Ukraine,” and state universities and private businesses throughout the state showed their support by projecting yellow and blue lights on buildings and outdoor features.
Utah company embroiled in antisemitism scandal makes ‘game changer’ donation to local synagogue
01/11/2022 01:41:58 PM
Executives at Entrata, the Utah company whose founder was ousted last week over an antisemitic screed, called on a local rabbi to help them understand the roots of their former colleague’s bigotry.
Rabbi Sam Spector was met by a level of angst and a gift he did not expect on Friday. He left Entrata’s offices with a six-figure pledge from the company to complete his synagogue’s capital campaign — funds that will allow the congregation to, among other needs, buy a new boiler and repair damaged Torah scrolls.
“They’re all just crying and saying this has been the worst week of any of their lives,” Spector said.
Spector said he walked executives at the property management software company through the history of classic antisemitic conspiracy theories like the blood libel and the claim that Jews were responsible for spreading the Black Plague through Medieval Europe.
But Spector said Entrata’s chief executive Adam Edmunds wanted to do more –- something big for the state’s Jewish community –- and asked Spector what his Congregation Kol Ami, which serves 350 families in Salt Lake City, needed most.
“My synagogue is falling apart, basically,” Spector said. The building is 50 years old. The bathrooms, seating and even the prayer books haven’t been replaced in decades. The total for the boiler alone, crucial during Utah winters, came to $150,000.
“They said, ‘We’re going to take care of all that for you,’ and they made the largest donation we’ve ever seen,” Spector said.
Utah company praised for doing 'everything right' to heal hurt from founder’s antisemitic COVID conspiracy claims
01/10/2022 04:34:01 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — Meeting with Utah Rabbi Samuel Spector on Friday afternoon proved an emotional experience for some board members of the Lehi-based technology company Entrata.
Several were crying, Spector said, as they apologized deeply for antisemitic comments recently made by Entrata co-founder and former board member Dave Bateman.
They also asked their visitor to talk about the history of antisemitism in Utah and told him they’d like to make a “transformational gift” to Salt Lake City’s Congregation Kol Ami, where Spector serves as rabbi.
“That was one of the most touching meetings I’ve ever had in my life,” Spector said Friday. “I cannot say enough nice things about this organization.”
Bateman stepped down Tuesday from Entrata after sending an antisemitic email to Utah political leaders calling the COVID-19 vaccine a plot to “euthanize the American people” and blaming the effort on “the Jews.”
Jewish leaders condemn Utah tech founder's anti-Semitic email rant about COVID-19
01/04/2022 07:13:59 AM
(KUTV) — A Utah tech entrepreneur is facing sharp backlash for an anti-Semitic email he sent alleging Jews were behind the COVID-19 pandemic.
The email by Entrata founder and former CEO David Bateman was sent to state leaders, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
Cox condemned Bateman Tuesday night on Twitter.
“These irresponsible comments are hurtfully anti-Semitic, blatantly false, and we completely reject them,” Cox tweeted. “This stuff is *bat emoji* *poop emoji* crazy stuff. I get insane emails like this from people often and normally wouldn’t dignify it with a response, but I guess it’s getting lots of attention. I hope he gets help.”
Bateman was one of the founders of the Entrata in 2003. Entrata’s headquarters are in Lehi and the company currently employs 1,400 people, according to its website.
Entrata CEO Adam Edmunds announced on Twitter Tuesday afternoon that the company’s board of directors asked Bateman to resign from the board, which he agreed to do.
Bateman’s social media is filled with COVID-19 conspiracies and he is outspoken against vaccines.
The email he sent connected the pandemic to Jews and a conspiracy to infiltrate the Catholic Church and consolidate world power.
“Mr. Bateman proved himself to be an embarrassment to Utah,” said Rabbi Sam Spector of the Congregation Kol Ami. “What Mr. Bateman said is a repetition of hundreds of years of anti-Semitic vile. It’s very alarming, concerning, and makes you question how widespread views like this are.”
Spector said the Jewish people are used to hearing conspiracies.
“We have a sitting member of congress who suggested that wildfires in California were because of Jewish space lasers. I think that most leaders in Utah know that these claims are so asinine and that what he’s spewing is such garbage that most aren’t even dignifying it with a response,” Spector said.
Spector’s reference is to comments made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Georgia, about the Camp Fire in 2018.
Local leaders come together to commemorate Hanukkah, take stand against hate
12/05/2021 10:34:14 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — As Hanukkah nears its end, local leaders gathered in Salt Lake City to raise awareness and understanding of multiple minority groups.
They told KSL they wanted to take a stand against the darkness of hate by coming together Sunday night to bring light into the world.
From a children’s choir — The Rise Up Children’s Choir — at the Congregation Kol Ami, to a car parade featuring an enormous Menorah, Jewish congregations across the state are celebrating the last night of Hanukkah.
“We want to awaken people and make people aware of what it means to be Jewish. To take pride in being Jewish and sharing the beauty of our heritage with all our neighbors — Jewish and not — around us,” said Zippel.
Earlier Sunday evening, the Congregation Kol Ami commemorated the holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, with a special service to “Shine A Light on Anti-Semitism and Hate.”
“We are here today as many different communities to say that anti-Semitism and any form of hatred and xenophobia/bigotry are not part of our religion or the values of our community here in Utah,” said Rabbi Samuel Spector of the Congregation Kol Ami.
To celebrate with the Congregation Kol Ami, representatives of the Mexican Consulate, Equality Utah, and Utah Muslim Civic League also shared messages about unity and took part in lighting the Menorah.
“The Jewish community is very dear to our heart as Muslims here. We constantly feel we have more in common than not,” said Luna Banuri, executive director of the Utah Muslim Civic League.
According to the FBI’s 2020 report on hate crimes and incidents, 61.8% of victims nationwide were targeted because of their race or ethnicity.
It’s why the United Jewish Federation of Utah said Sunday night was about shedding light on our common values.
“For us to be able to come together and say our hatred of hate is what brings us together and our love of one another is what brings us together, that creates a profound light, and it makes me believe that tomorrow can be so much better than today,” said Spector.
Fri, May 2 2025
4 Iyyar 5785
