Virginia College Students Verbally Assaulted on Campus

A group of Jewish students at the College of William & Mary tell 10 On Your Side that they feel targeted by other students after getting verbally assaulted on campus. The altercation took place during a fundraising event on campus, during which Jewish students were raising money for humanitarian aid in Israel.

“We were approached quite aggressively by a bunch of people,” said Ori Ben-Ari, a W&M senior. “They just came up called us ‘dirty Zionists,’ ‘colonizer,’ ‘pigs,’ ‘rapists,’ ‘murderers,’ ‘baby killers,’ you name it, we heard it,” he said.

“That was just a little bit discouraging on such a, what seems to be a welcoming campus,” Ben-Ari said.

The group did not report the action to the school, but parents who learned about it did reach out to the college.

Natasha Varnovitsky’s son is a sophomore at William & Mary. He told his mother about the group getting verbally assaulted. “We have laws in this country, we are a country of laws,” Varnovitsky said. “There are laws against hate crime. There are there are laws against hate speech. They need to be enforced.”

Varnovitsky said she reached out to William & Mary after learning about what happened. She wanted to know what the school is doing to keep Jewish students safe.

She received a response from school President Katherine Rowe Tuesday afternoon. It said:

“On a matter as serious as this, I want to be unequivocally clear: harassment and antisemitism are flatly unacceptable. Such behavior is in stark contrast to William & Mary’s stated values and mission. Student safety on campus is our highest priority, and I encourage students to report incidents of bias at reportconcern@wm.edu. 

Here is what we know at present: there was a verbal altercation between students during yesterday’s tabling event. Our staff and W&M Police were in contact with the students throughout the day to provide support. We have not received reports from anyone involved related to a physical altercation described in your message. When we receive reports of harassment, assault or threatening behavior, we take immediate action to support our students and their safety on this campus.

I know how deeply this week’s horrifying events have affected many of our students. W&M’s First Gentleman and I will attend tonight’s vigil to support our students, faculty and staff. Please encourage your son to reach out directly to the Dean of Students Office for additional support during this difficult time.

In a separate statement, the school told 10 On Your Side:

“We continue to provide support for our students, and safety on campus is our top priority. We encourage members of our community to consider how current events may personally and deeply affect others and to embrace our shared William & Mary values while engaging in debate around this international conflict.“

Police Capture North Carolina Man For Threatening Synagogue

A man has been charged and arrested in connection with a series of antisemitic threats sent via email to a local synagogue, officials said.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, Asheville Police Department detectives arrested Michael Patrick Toone, age 44 (04/07/1979), following an investigation and charged him with cyberstalking.

Toone was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $5,000 secured bond, but after a bond hearing, the Buncombe County district court judge doubled his bond to $10,000 secured.

Officials said this investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming.

Anyone who feels they have been threatened or discriminated against based on race, people, color, religion, nationality, country of origin, or gender identity, is asked to contact Asheville Police Department at 828-252-1110, or send an anonymous tip using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search "Asheville PD" in your app store) or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.

Three Canadian Men Detained After Threatening Jewish Students

Toronto police have arrested three men, and its hate crime unit is investigating after threats were directed towards a Jewish high school in North York.

Authorities were called to the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT) just after 12:30 p.m. after reports were circulating online regarding threats.

Toronto police said three males were at the school and were told by security to leave the property. A short time later, threats were made “against the Jewish community” and directed toward a group of students at a nearby plaza.

Officers were able to track the three men down and arrested them. The hate crime unit is now looking into the incident.

Head of school Jonathan Levy said CHAT never went into lockdown and classes continued. He noted that the school will remain open on Friday with enhanced security measures in place.

In an email from the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, a spokesperson wrote that the online reports of attempted stabbings and violent acts are inaccurate.

“Police informed us that no one has been injured and no attempted stabbing has taken place. Verbal threats were made, and police are now on the scene, including Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw,” the spokesperson wrote. “An investigation of the involved parties is currently underway, with possible charges pending.”

The UJA said staff at CHAT reacted quickly and informed the police, leading to the three arrests.

Rhode Island Man Arrested for Threatening Local Synagogue

A Pawtucket man accused of making a bomb threat to a Providence synagogue was given bail in court on Thursday.

Vincent Johnson, 65, was arraigned in Providence District Court for allegedly making a bomb threat call on Tuesday to Temple Beth-El. He is facing transmitting bomb threats and similar false reports, and disorderly conduct charges.

According to court officials, Johnson was given $10,000 bail with surety and a no trespassing order for the temple. No plea was entered.

A temple spokesperson said the threat was handled “quickly, decisively and seamlessly” by the temple officials and Providence police.

“It was determined to be a non-credible threat, and there is no safety concern at this time. We are grateful for the ongoing care and support of the community,” Temple Beth-El Director of Engagement and Operations Joie Magnone said.

"Providence has no place for hate or discrimination. In the wake of the horrific news out of Israel, we are being especially vigilant with our Jewish community and ensuring that any instance of antisemitism is investigated immediately," said Providence Mayor Brett Smiley. "Every single neighbor in our community deserves to feel safe and I am thankful to the Providence Police officers who responded quickly and efficiently to this incident. Our public safety officials will remain vigilant in the weeks ahead to ensure that Providence continues to be a safe and welcoming city for all."

"Our community is already on edge, and this doesn't help to take that anxiety away,” Greater Jewish Alliance of RI CEO and President Adam Greenman said. "We're just glad it was resolved so quickly."

Rep. Seth Magaziner also commented on the incident, saying “there is no place for antisemitic harassment in Rhode Island or anywhere.”

“As Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, I am committed to providing local authorities with the resources and support they need to stop violent extremism before it occurs,” Magaziner said.

A prosecutor said in court that Johnson has 18 cases, with 16 “failure to appear” cases.

Johnson is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference on Jan. 25, 2024, officials said.

Fragrance Mogul Jo Malone's Son Leads Harvard Campaign Vilifying

Perfume tycoon Jo Malone's son helped lead a pro-Palestinian Harvard group behind a letter that blamed Israel for Hamas' massacre of Jewish people, DailyMail.com can reveal. Josh Willcox, 22, is listed as one of three students who run the Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, according to Harvard's directory of student groups along with Shradda Joshi and Sanaa Kahloon.

Jo, a British perfume giant founder who sold her eponymous company to Estee Lauder in 1999, refused to address her son.

Earlier this week, 31 Harvard student groups signed up to a letter saying: 'We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.'

The PSC group issued a further statement in which it said it was 'proud to stand steadfast against Israeli apartheid.'

In its latest comments the PSC bemoaned the lack of support they were getting from the university, saying the administration 'invests in Israeli apartheid'. The ongoing discourse centered on Harvard diverts focus from the relentless carnage in Gaza, a dire situation which our joint statement urgently warned about,' it said.

Willcox's fellow Palestine Solidarity Committee member Sanaa Kahloon subsequently spoke to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper confirming the group had no regrets over the controversial letter - while even doubling down on it. Kahloon said the organization 'rejects the accusation' its initial statement was 'supportive of civilian deaths' Speaking for the group, Kahloon, said their mission should be 'obvious', adding the 'PSC staunchly opposes violence against civilians — Palestinian, Israeli, or other.'

'The statement aims to contextualize the apartheid and colonial system while explicitly lamenting "the devastating and rising civilian toll" in its caption,' she added in a separate Crimson story.

'It is unacceptable that Palestinians and groups supporting them are always expected to pre-empt their statements with condemnation of violence.'

Willcox studies Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations with history, with his mother telling media earlier this year he specializes in Arabic. He is the only son of the cologne and candle mogul and her husband Gary Willcox. Malone sold her eponymous company to Estee Lauder in 1999 for undisclosed millions and no longer has any ties to it.

Willcox has published at least three articles on Palestine for the Harvard Crimson, writing 'To the Editor: When Will You Stop Silencing Palestine?', in February along with a third leader of the organization, Shraddha Joshi.

The Harvard statement it has continued to support was widely-condemned after blaming Israel for attacks that have killed at least 1,200 Israelis, including 27 Americans.

It focused heavily on the then-anticipated Israeli military onslaught in Gaza, with critics branding the missive tasteless and inflammatory.

Willcox's fellow committee member Kahloon is a sophomore in Adams House and is a dual-major in Molecular and Cellular Biology with Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Joshi, who penned several articles with Willcox, is an intern with Amnesty International and a social studies major. She spent time in Palestine in 2022, and in a blog post took aim at Harvard and the media for supporting Ukraine amid Russia's invasion but ignoring the ongoing situation in Gaza.

White Supremacist Groups Target Ohio with Latest Anti Jewish Harassment Campaign

Residents of a Uniontown neighborhood in Stark County are feeling outraged, reporting that antisemitic fliers were distributed to their driveways. The Uniontown Police Department said they were handed out Saturday, which happens to be the same day that Hamas attacked Israel this past weekend.

"I didn't ask for this information to be thrown in my driveway," one resident named Paul told 3News. "I want nothing to do with this."

He was one of many on Waterfall Avenue in disbelief when they woke up on Sunday morning. His wife reported the fliers to authorities. The fliers say, "This is a PSA about a Jewish mafia that has highjacked our country," and "We will not be silent as they conduct genocide against us."

The fliers also have pictures of many prominent Jewish figures with Stars of David on all their foreheads.

Uniontown Police told WKYC about 20 homes got the fliers, which were inside sandwich bags with corn kernels on the bottom, seemingly to weigh the bags down as they were flung onto each property. They appear to have been produced by the Goyim Defense League, an organization that the Anti-Defamation League considers a hate group.

Among other antisemitic tropes, the fliers claim Jews are overrepresented in the U.S. Federal Reserve, in powerful hedge funds, and in political gun control, with U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, billionaire investor George Soros, and former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan amongst the many Jews pictured as part of the "Jewish Mafia."

Uniontown police tell us they are investigating and that no apparent threats were made in this situation and no laws appeared to have been broken since this was just information. They'll be consulting further with the Stark County prosecutor as the investigation continues.

Suspect in California Synagogue Vandalism Arrested for Separate Antisemitic Hate Crime

One person was arrested Tuesday in connection with a possible anti-Jewish hate crime at a Mediterranean bakery in Fresno and police say the suspect may have also been involved in vandalizing a synagogue.

The vandalism comes as Israel wages war against Hamas after several terror attacks killed more than 1,000 people last week.

Orlando Javier Ramirez, 30, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism, committing a hate crime and making criminal threats in connection with an incident at Noah’s Ark Restaurant and Bakery earlier this week.

On Tuesday morning, a bakery employee found that two store windows had been broken, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said in a statement. A newspaper containing handwritten threats to Jewish-owned businesses was also left at the scene.

Ramirez is also a “person of interest” in a felony vandalism incident at a Jewish temple that was also discovered Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Florida Man Arrested for Vandalizing Miami Synagogue

A man is behind bars -- accused of vandalizing a local Jewish center on Saturday.

In bond court on Tuesday, a judge said Andrew Johnson threw at rock at the Rok Family Shul in Brickell, causing about $10,000 in damages.

He now faces several criminal mischief and trespassing charges.

Surveillance cameras captured an object flying through the air and into the glass doors of the building located along southeast 9th Street.

Rabbi Chaim Lipskar was at the center on Saturday and claims he saw the suspect with the rock in his hand.

Johnson is not facing any hate crime charges, but has been ordered to stay away from the Jewish center.

Anti-Jewish 'Goyim Defense League' (GDL) Flyers Discovered in Ohio Neighborhoods

Residents of a Uniontown neighborhood in Stark County are feeling outraged, reporting that antisemitic fliers were distributed to their driveways. The Uniontown Police Department said they were handed out Saturday, which happens to be the same day that Hamas attacked Israel this past weekend.

The Jewish advocacy group StopAntisemitism has been tracking the activities of those responsible - the Goyim Defense League’ or ‘GDL’ for nearly five years and state they vilify Jews with their premeditated hate campaigns.

"I didn't ask for this information to be thrown in my driveway," one resident named Paul told 3News. "I want nothing to do with this."

He was one of many on Waterfall Avenue in disbelief when they woke up on Sunday morning. His wife reported the fliers to authorities.

The fliers say, "This is a PSA about a Jewish mafia that has highjacked our country," and "We will not be silent as they conduct genocide against us."

The fliers also have pictures of many prominent Jewish figures with Stars of David on all their foreheads.

Uniontown Police told WKYC about 20 homes got the fliers, which were inside sandwich bags with corn kernels on the bottom, seemingly to weigh the bags down as they were flung onto each property.

Among other antisemitic tropes, the fliers claim Jews are overrepresented in the U.S. Federal Reserve, in powerful hedge funds, and in political gun control, with U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, billionaire investor George Soros, and former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan amongst the many Jews pictured as part of the "Jewish Mafia."

"I was just totally shocked," Paul said, disgusted as he showed us the bag with fliers inside. "I just couldn't imagine that there was this much hate in our country, let alone in my own community. I just can't believe the hate that still exists towards the Jewish people. I totally despise this and don't agree with any of this."

Stark County Rabbi David Komerofsky of Temple Israel Canton says antisemitism doesn't surprise him anymore, but the timing of this is particularly hurtful.

"So, the timing does shed light on the fact that those who would seek to divide people and really sow the seeds of hatred will capitalize on any opportunity," he expressed. "This weekend in particular, there is a sense of vulnerability amongst the Jewish community around the world, and this feeds that."

Antisemitic Flyers Litter South Carolina

For the second time in less than a month, South Carolina homeowners woke up to find antisemitic flyers had mysteriously appeared in their driveways.

Residents in the Lake Carolina residential community north of Columbia found small plastic bags containing flyers with hateful and offensive content directed at Jewish people in their driveways or front yards on Oct. 10, according to an online post in a popular Columbia-area Reddit forum, where commenters confirmed finding flyers.

The material also contained neo-Nazi elements, including a headline proclaiming “He died for you” alongside a picture of Adolf Hitler.

Group of Men Filmed Wearing Nazi Garb at Texas Eatery

Hundreds of thousands of people have viewed a viral video from a Fort Worth Torchy's Tacos restaurant that shows a group of men wearing Nazi paraphernalia.

Jessica Gregorio said she was at lunch when she noticed the men enter the restaurant and began recording them. 

"Several of them were wearing Order of the Black Sun T-shirts, which I had looked up in the moment because I wasn't sure exactly what that was," Gregorio said. "But I had a feeling based on all of the attire." 

Still, she thought, just maybe, their attire could be for Halloween. As she and her mother looked closer at the group, though, she said her mom noticed some of them wearing chains with swastikas. 

"I was pretty verbal with my mom about being very uncomfortable and upset, seeing that at the restaurant that we were eating at," said Gregorio. "I was probably making them uncomfortable by staring at them."

Her cellphone video shows a swastika on the arm of one person in the restaurant, and on the backpack of another person in the same group. 

Gregorio said, in that moment, she spoke out loud to let the group know she was going to record them.  

"They didn't seem fazed when I was taping them," Gregorio said. "Once the recording stopped is when one gentleman went 'white power' as he was walking past our table -- and me and him did exchange words." 

During their confrontation, Gregorio shared, she became emotional and even cried tears. But she also said she refused to stay silent. She believes there were close to a dozen people among the group. 

After that exchange of words, the group lefy Torchy's, Gregorio said. But some of them returned to buy more food.

WFAA received a statement about the incident from the public relations team for Torchy's Tacos. It reads, in part: "We do not stand for hate and do not support this group or any hate group. When the group tried to come back, they were not allowed. We will continue working closely with local authorities to ensure the safety of our guests and team members." 

Torchy's Tacos spokesperson Morgan Hendrix told WFAA that the company is proud of how their employees handled the unexpected situation at their Fort Worth restaurant. Hendrix said the management team worked to deescalate the guests despite their unwelcomed behavior, which allegedly included chants about white supremacy in addition to their attire.

Gregorio, who is proud of her Jewish heritage, said she has zero tolerance for groups that spread hate.  

"As far as the people who are dressed like that are concerned, obviously, it's just disgusting," Gregorio said. "As a Jew, I've been told a lot in my life that those people don't still exist, and this is my first time really seeing it in person and being able to prove, yes, it is alive and well."

Cornell Diversity Director Under Fire for Praising Hamas

A diversity and inclusion director at Cornell University has come under fire over disturbing social media posts supporting Hamas and dismissing the terror group’s slaughter of innocent civilians as a “resistance.”

Derron Borders, of the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, voiced his support for the Palestinians and criticized Israel following the devastating invasion by Hamas terrorists who killed more than 900 people.

“When you hear about Israel this morning and the resistance being launched by Palestinians, remember against all odds Palestinians are fighting for life, dignity, and freedom — alongside others doing the same — against settle colonization, imperialism, capitalism, white supremacy, which the United States is the model,” Borders wrote on his Instagram Story.

“F–k your fake outrage at Palestine when you’ve literally been silent about the violence perpetuated by Israel against Palestine every day,” Borders wrote on the day of the Hamas invasion.

On Monday, he posted that Hamas’ massacre was inexcusable, but continued to compare it to the Israeli government’s past actions against the Palestinians.

“The atrocities and violence towards innocent people in Israel is absolutely horrifying and should be condemned,” he wrote. “The state-sanctioned violence and denial of self-determination for the Palestinian people by the Israeli government is also terrible and should be condemned.”

Borders’ statement came as a shock to Itai Liptz, a Jewish man and director and CEO of RIMAR Capital, who has called for Cornell to fire Borders for his tone-deaf comments amid the violence and kidnappings experienced by the Israeli people.

“This is especially saddening given Mr. Borders position, which is one of influence and one that is expected to promote inclusion and harmony,” Liptz wrote.

Cornell University said in a statement that it had been made aware of the comments, but noted that Borders was “an employee who has been on a leave of absence from the university for several months.”

The college did not elaborate further.

Borders did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

The backlash against the Cornell administrator comes following similar controversies by Harvard and Columbia student groups, who suggested Israel was “entirely responsible” for Hamas’ mass slaughter.

Like Borders, the Ivy League students condemned Israel as a perpetrator of imperialism and supported Palestinians’ fight for land, likening the existence in the slums in Gaza to apartheid.

Larry Summers, the former Treasury secretary and Harvard University president, has slammed the students’ comments and the school over its lack of response to the controversial statement.

NYU Law Student Praises Hamas in Letter to Student Body, Loses Job Offer

New York University's Law School Bar Association president stated that Hamas' slaughter of children in Israel was 'necessary,' in an email send to members of the university community. 

Ryna Workman, 24, a non-binary student at NYU's School of Law sent a weekly newsletter saying the murder of innocent Israeli children, women, and citizens this past week was is Israel's 'full responsibility.'

Workman, from Simpsonville, South Carolina, also refused to condemn Hamas - an internationally-recognized terrorist group who have triggered the all-out war. 

New York University told DailyMail.com that Workman's statement 'does not in any way reflect the point of view of NYU.' 

University spokesman John Beckman said: 'Acts of terrorism are immoral. The indiscriminate killing of civilians and hostage-taking, including children and the elderly, is reprehensible. Blaming victims of terrorism for their own deaths is wrong.' 

President Joe Biden today called their actions 'pure, unadulterated evil.' 

As well as studying at NYU, Ryna completed their undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina and also studied at the University of Warwick in the UK on an exchange program - where they took classes in international law. 

Workman, who goes by the pronouns they/them, wrote in a weekly newsletter to fellow Student Bar Association students: 'Hi y'all. 

'This week, I want to express, first and foremost, my unwavering and absolute solidarity with Palestinians in their resistance against oppression toward liberation and self-determination.

'Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life.

'This regime of state-sanctioned violence created the conditions that made resistance necessary.'

Referencing violent terrorist group Hamas, who have murdered innocent Israeli children, Workman said: 'I will not condemn Palestinian resistance.'

Workman has worked as a summer associate for two years at Winston & Strawn.  

They continued in the email: 'I condemn the violence of apartheid. I condemn the violence of settler colonialism. I condemn the violence of military occupation. I condemn the violence of dispossession and stolen homes. I condemn the violence of trapping thousands in an open-air prison. 

'I condemn the violence of collective punishment. I condemn the violence of phosphorous bombs. I condemn the violence of the United States military-industrial complex. I condemn the violence of obfuscating genocide as a "complex issue."

'I condemn the violence in labeling oppressed people as "animals." I condemn the violence in removing hospital context. I condemn the violence of silence. Palestine will be free.'

The newsletter was signed off: 'Your SBA President, Ryna.' 

NYU's Law School Dean Troy McKenzie also said: 'This message was not from NYU School of Law as an institution and does not speak for the leadership of the Law School. 

'It certainly does not express my own views, because I condemn the killing of civilians and acts of terrorism as always reprehensible.' 

The student bragged on their social media that they 'embrace organizing for what’s right and push for real change in my community.'

Workman said that they: 'Push for economic justice, anti-racism, and gender equality.'

The student said they want to 'become someone who breaks down systems to help make the world we live in more equitable. I hope to continue to be an advocate for underserved and minority communities.'

This comes after students at several Ivy League institutions, including Harvard and Columbia, condemned Israel after the war broke out. 

Prominent Canadian News Outlet Advises Journalists Against Using "Terrorists" Label for Hamas

StopAntisemitism released what appeared to be a memo from George Achi, director of journalistic standards at CBC News, telling reporters not to say that the “occupation” of the “Gaza Strip” ended in 2005. “Israel has maintained control over airspace, seafront and virtually all movement into or out of the area,” per the apparent CBC memo.

We have just obtained what appears to be a leaked email written by CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp) employee George Achi instructing reporters to:

1. not to mention Gaza has not been occupied since 2005
2. not refer to Palestinian terrorists as terrorists

If true, this… pic.twitter.com/rqlhfm1clX

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 8, 2023

“Do not refer to militants, soldiers or anyone else as ‘terrorists.’ The notion of terrorism remains heavily politicized and is part of the story,” the apparent memo added.

“If true, this employee must be fired,” StopAntisemitism stated.

CBC received about $900 million in Canadian government funding in 2021-22.

Synagogue in Utah Evacuated over Bomb Threats

A rabbi with Salt Lake City’s Congregation Kol Ami synagogue announced to the media that there was a bomb threat during service on Sunday morning. Soon after the announcement, multiple other organizations confirmed they had received the same threat.

“About halfway through our service, our staff received an email saying that there was a bomb in our building and that bombs had been placed in other Jewish centers around Utah and that it’d go off in a few hours and that we all deserved to die,” Rabbi Sam Spector said.

He immediately evacuated his congregation and called other Jewish organizations to alert them.

“It was I think certainly rattling and jarring for a lot of congregants, in particular for the parents who had to come pick up their children from the children’s service,” Spector said.

Salt Lake Police responded to the scene and secured the building, stating they didn’t find any explosives.

“We had police already on site,” Spector said. “They called for backup and did a sweep of the building and were able to clear it for us.”

Spector said the congregation has increased patrols during holidays and religious services.

“Unfortunately for us, we have regular security training because this is a part of being in a Jewish organization in America today,” he said.

Janice Ward, president of Congregation Brith Sholem in Ogden, confirmed they received the same anonymous email at 10:30 a.m. during a Sunday school service. Police were immediately called and evacuated the building. Ward said police checked for bombs, but nothing was found.

The FBI said a statement to KSL, “FBI Salt Lake City is aware of several bomb threats to synagogues in Utah. The FBI takes these threats very seriously. While we have no information to indicate a credible or specific threat, we are working with our local and state law enforcement partners as needed. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately.”

Salt Lake Police Department issued a statement about the threats at 12:05 p.m. Sunday, saying they were aware of the threads and had an ongoing investigation. They stated that since Saturday morning, the Salt Lake City Police Department increased its patrol presence at the synagogues and Jewish Community Center in Salt Lake City. It was announced Saturday that Israel was at war after a surprise attack by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Police later updated the public with another statement around 1:15 p.m.:

“As of 1 p.m. on Sunday Oct. 8, Salt Lake City police officers finished their searches of three local Jewish institutions within the city. Officers have not observed anything suspicious at any of the locations. Officers will continue to have increased patrols. The SLCPD will continue to work with other law enforcement agencies regarding the origin and credibility of the threats received. The SLCPD reminds people to report all threats or anything suspicious by calling 9-1-1.”

Spector said the threat came on one of the most joyful Jewish holidays.

“These are holidays where we finish, one, reading the torah and celebrate reading the torah, and then we go back and re-roll the torah and start all over again, but also with this holiday, this is when we start to pray for rain for the Jewish people and for the people of Israel,” he said.

Additional police cameras were placed outside the sanctuary.

“These are things that happen even when there isn’t stuff going on in Israel, but with that said, we are on heightened alert,” Spector said.

Anti-Jewish 'Goyim Defense League' (GDL) Leaflets Discovered in Georgia Town

Another round of antisemitic flyers were stuck to dozens of windshields on a drizzly Friday afternoon, the first reported batch since a driveway campaign in early July.

The latest edition mostly targets “those responsible for the covid-19 vaccination,” naming the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as leaders and experts from Moderna, Pfizer and Blackrock.

The flyers hit as Floyd County recorded its 466th covid fatality since March 2020. The state’s death toll is at 35,732 people.

The flyers were found midafternoon along part of Broad Street and off Sixth Avenue, including the parking lot of the Rome News-Tribune.

Debbie Burnett, Rome’s assistant chief of police, says reports came in all around the same time Friday afternoon. An officer has been sent to find those leaving the flyers to educate them about city ordinances prohibiting what they’re doing.

Two people described as White males were spotted close to downtown, one with a handful of flyers and another with a camera.

Numerous Alabama Synagogues Encounter Bomb Threats

At least five Jewish congregations, including one of Montgomery's, received emailed bomb threats Thursday morning, according to law enforcement officials.

Montgomery police responded to Temple Beth Or at about 11 a.m. The bomb squad cleared the building and did not find any harmful devices, Major Saba Coleman said in an email.

None of the Jewish congregations found evidence of bombs in their places of worship, said Phillip Ensler, the executive director Central Alabama Jewish Federation who is also a member of the Alabama House of Representatives.

Congregations in Montgomery, Dothan, Auburn, Mobile and Birmingham received threats.

Local law enforcement and the FBI are investigating the threats.

“It’s very, very unsettling to know that anybody hates Jewish people enough to go to the trouble of compiling a list of all of the places we might worship in the area and sending a threat," said Leah Nelson, who attends Beth Or.

“It’s been very, very safe and felt very, very safe to be Jewish in the United States for the last four decades. So what has happened over the last four or five years is really different and really upsetting for that reason," Nelson said.

Nelson also noted that threats are harmful to the community, even when they are not backed by violence.

Indiana Man Arrested For Threatening Jewish Organization

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Indiana returned an indictment charging Andrzej Boryga, 67, with sending threatening communications to Anti-Defamation League offices around the country.

The indictment charges Boryga with four counts of willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person. The defendant was also charged with choosing his victims because of their actual or perceived religion. According to the indictment, Boryga is alleged to have left voicemails containing threats to kill Jewish people at Anti-Defamation League offices located in New York, Texas, Colorado and Nevada.

If convicted on all counts, Boryga faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.