I want to commend Sara Weinberger for her column “The appalling silence over the atrocities of October 7th” [Gazette, April 15]. As co-president of the Northampton/Amherst Chapter of Hadassah I would like to report that area residents, along with Hadassah’s over 300,000 members and supporters, have not been silent about Hamas’ weaponization of rape and sexual violence.

Hadassah Inc. launched #EndtheSilence, a global campaign, in which over 130,000 people from 118 countries and 116 global organizations have signed Hadassah’s petition and letters to UN Secretary-General António Guterres demanding an independent, unbiased investigation of Hamas’ use of rape and gender-based violence as weapons of war on October 7th and beyond.

On International Women’s Day on March 8th, Hadassah members and supporters participated in a historic mobilization at nearly 190 events in 17 countries around the world — and 176 events across 32 states in the US, following high-profile events at the Knesset, on Capitol Hill, in New York City and at the United Nations, and online through a powerful, viral social media campaign — to #EndTheSilence on Hamas’ sexual violence and to speak out against rape as a weapon of war. For information and the link to sign the petition visit: Hadassah.org/endthesilence. 

Rachel Vigderman

Amherst