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A Texas Kosher Restaurant Targeted by Vandals Costing Thousands in Damage

An Israeli-owned kosher restaurant in Southwest Houston was broken into and vandalized in the early morning hours Nov. 7.

At 3:13 a.m., video evidence shows a man breaking in through the ceiling of Taste of Tel Aviv, also known as Pizza TLV, on 9804 Hillcroft St.

The man rummaged through papers, damaged prayer books and eventually broke through the front glass door to leave. He was inside the restaurant for less than 3 minutes.

Pam Baylis, manager and partner of the restaurant, spoke with the JHV as she and her employees cleaned up broken glass and dusted off debris from the ceiling.

Baylis was alerted from her house once the motion detectors went off. She said she called the police and went to the restaurant immediately and was able to see the security footage.

“He cut a hole through asphalt, concrete and an aluminum roof and dropped in, destroying all the wiring and A/C stuff,” Baylis said.

“He was looking for something very specific. What he was looking for, I don’t know, but he did not find it.”

Baylis said no cash was taken, although he left some on the floor when leaving.

Baylis contends the incident was a hate crime and said she was talking with someone in the HPD Hate Crimes Unit.

Later on Tuesday, Houston Police released a statement that said it appears the incident was not motivated by hate.

"It is believed to be the work of a lone individual who was burglarizing the business trying to steal anything of value before fleeing the scene," the statement said.

Baylis, however, disagrees.

"The man left money on the floor. There was a ton of things right there at his fingertips that he could've taken for money, including cash," she said.

“You could tell he was panicking. He started to leave and then wanted to make it look like a robbery so he got the empty cash drawer and took it.”

Baylis told the JHV this is not the first incident that has happened at her restaurant since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

On Friday, Oct. 13, Baylis said two women came into the restaurant and asked her if she was Israeli. Baylis told them no and they said, “Oh, it’s your lucky day then” and left.

A similar incident happened to one of the other tenants of the shopping center on Nov. 6, Baylis discovered after the break-in.

“Same thing – they asked if they were Israeli; they said ‘no,’ and then they said, ‘Then I guess it is your lucky day’ and left.”

Baylis said she also has had a bomb threat and suspicious vehicles stop by. She filed a previous police report on those incidents.

Tuesday’s break-in, however, was the first incident that caused physical damage.

While a full assessment has yet to be completed, Baylis said it would all fall on the restaurant, with the landlord not taking any responsibility, and the insurance deductible is so high it won’t help.

“It’s going to cost a small fortune,” she said.

Friends and neighbors have already set up a GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/FightingHateWithLove.

Despite the break-in and scare tactics, Baylis is not backing down.

“One way or another, we will be open tomorrow,” Baylis said. “I will dust, clean, mop and we will be open tomorrow.
“I’m not going to cower down to their intimidation or anything else people are trying to do to us.

"I’m aware of my surroundings and what is going on around me, but I’m not going to live in fear, and I don’t believe the community should live in fear.

"If we allow that to happen, they win.”

A Texas Rabbi's Israeli Flag Stolen from Home by Man Yelling, "Free Palestine"

On Tuesday evening, Rabbi Jak Rubin was inside his home making final preparations to welcome members of the Jewish community.

"I'm a director of OLAMI Dallas, which is under the nonprofit Dallas Area Torah Association," Rubin said.

According to the OLAMI website, they are a community of young Jewish professionals.

"We have, every Tuesday night, students that come together. Sometimes they'll be here for classes, social events."

Rubin said he heard someone yell however, could not understand what was said.

"I hear yelling outside. I had no idea what it was. I didn't think anything of it. But I had my phone out, and I see a notification pop up on the top," Rubin said. His surveillance system notified him someone was on his property. "It shows a person just jumping up like this, and he's covered in a keffiyeh."

The surveillance video shows a man wearing a traditional Middle Eastern headdress, pull down an item, run off and shout in Arabic.

“I'm told it translates to ‘long live free Palestine’,” Rubin said. “I beeline outside and look and find that the flag is gone.”

Rubin had hung the Israeli flag a month ago.

“As soon as the attack happened a month ago, that's when I said I'm putting it out and making sure that we're telling all Jews and Israelis come together, stand together, be proud of it," Rubin said. “It's not because we're trying to say that the people who are dying in Gaza don't matter. It's us saying very strongly that Hamas needs to be eradicated if we have any hope for peace.”

Dallas Police said the incident is being investigated as a theft however, a hate crime detective has been assigned to the case.

“You can sense that even that short clip, you can sense the immense hate and evil in that person's heart,” Benji Gershon said. Gershon was not present Tuesday during the incident but learned about it through Rubin.

Although shaken, Gershon and Rubin said they are not intimidated. Soon after the theft, Rubin hung another Israeli flag outside his home and placed it a little higher.

“We can't allow evil and intimidation to dictate what our actions are. So, we have to stand up,” Gershon said.

"There's a lot of fear going on in many in the Jewish community. But then there's the second feeling of resilience," Rubin said. "And the recognition that we can stand up for ourselves, which from much of human history has not been the case for the Jewish nation."

Multiple Swastikas Found at Maryland Area High School

School officials are investigating after two reports of swastikas found at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville.

In a letter to parents, School Principal Douglas Nelson said the hateful graffiti was found drawn on a desk and on a bathroom wall. The students who found the swastikas reported the graffiti to school leaders, who promptly took action to have it removed. 

Administrators are now working to find out who is responsible and punish them accordingly. 

"Events like what we experienced today are wrong," Nelson wrote. "They have absolutely no place at Wootton High School or any place in our community, as the depiction of a swastika on school furniture and property is antisemitic."

The principal calls the behavior inappropriate and unacceptable, adding that the Wootton community is already experiencing elevated concern. 

"These hateful actions make us feel targeted and unsafe," Nelson said. "Discrimination in any form must not be tolerated."

Nelson says everyone at Wootton must take action in calling out hate for what it is. He is asking parents and guardians to speak with their students about standing up against hateful acts.

"It takes all of us to do this work. Please continue to do the deliberate work at home to support our work at school," he wrote. 

Multiple Synagogue and Jewish Organization in Canada Firebombed

Jewish community leaders in Montreal on Tuesday called for widespread condemnation of the overnight firebombings of two local Jewish institutions, saying the incidents are the latest evidence of antisemitism in the city.

"If you're asking how the Jewish community is feeling, they're not feeling so safe," Yair Szlak, president and CEO of Montreal Jewish organization Federation CJA, told a news conference. "And I think there is a lot to be done by our politicians, by our leaders, by leaders of every community to say that this is not acceptable behaviour."

The two firebombings in the night between Monday and Tuesday caused minor damage to the front door of the Congregation Beth Tikvah synagogue and the back door of the nearby Federation CJA office in the Montreal suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux. No one was injured since the two buildings were empty at the time of the incidents, Szlak said.

The firebombings are under investigation by the Montreal police department. Police spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier said Tuesday morning that investigators had not yet determined a motive for the apparent attacks, but they come amid rising tensions linked to the Israel-Hamas war, which was sparked by an Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed about 1,400 people, mostly civilians. The Palestinian death toll from retaliatory Israeli strikes had surpassed 10,000, the Health Ministry of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said Monday.

Congregation Beth Tikvah cantor Henry Topas said in a statement released by Jewish group B’nai Brith Canada that the synagogue is "horrified that exactly one month to the day of the atrocities committed by Hamas, someone tried to burn down our house of worship."

Szlak called the Oct. 7 Hamas attack "a dark day in Jewish history. To perpetuate that crime against humanity by acts against the Jewish community anywhere in the world is wrong," he said. "What has happened today cannot happen again. It must be the last time this happens."

Police recorded 38 reports of hate crimes and other incidents targeting the Montreal Jewish community between Oct. 7 and Oct. 25.

University of Pennsylvania Staffers Receive Emails Promising to Harm the Jewish Community

Several staff members at the University of Pennsylvania received “vile” antisemitic emails that threatened violence against the campus’ Jewish community, the university said in an email to students Monday.

Liz Magill, the president of Penn, said the university had notified the FBI and local police, who launched a joint investigation after several staff members were targeted with “hateful language.” Officials conducted safety sweeps of an on-campus Jewish group and dorm, but no credible threats were found at the time.

“Today, I learned that a small number of Penn staff members received vile, disturbing antisemitic emails threatening violence against members of our Jewish community,” Magill wrote in an email to students and staffers. “The perniciousness of antisemitic acts on our campus is causing deep hurt and fear for our Jewish students, faculty, and staff and shaking their sense of safety and belonging at Penn. This is intolerable.”

She added the university would work with the authorities to “identify the individual or individuals who are responsible for these hateful, threatening emails and to ensure they are apprehended and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Penn Hillel, the university’s on-campus Jewish organization, said it would continue to monitor the situation after consulting with officials, adding it would keep its building open and in use.

“The safety of the Jewish community and Jewish students at Penn is our top priority — first, foremost and always,” the group wrote on Instagram. “All Jewish students deserve a learning environment that is safe and free from antisemitism and hate.”

Jewish Man's Garage Defaced with "Feed the Jews to the Pigs" Graffiti

A Beverly Grove resident is upset and concerned after discovering a hateful, anti-Jewish message scrawled across his garage in black ink over the weekend.  

Scott Shulman, who for many years worked as a network news photographer covering wars in Gaza, Iraq and Afghanistan, said he never expected this kind of hate in his neighborhood.  

“It said ‘feed the Jews to the pigs,’” Shulman told KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell. “I feel targeted because I’m a Jew and I go to synagogue, and it targets my people. I do feel targeted.”  

Surveillance footage captured the vandal, who was wearing a black hoodie, in front of Shulman’s garage. The Beverly Grove resident took to the time to post signs up around his neighborhood, encouraging anyone with information to contact the Los Angeles Police Department’s Wilshire Division.  In the police report Shulman filed, LAPD refers to the incident as a hate crime.  

“It just makes me want to double down on the message of love,” Shulman said of the antisemitic graffiti on his garage. 

In Beverly Grove, police have increased patrols, and Shulman said he will continue to advocate for peace.  

“These are not problems that can be solved with armies or with guns or with bombs. It can only be solved with love,” he said. “The outpouring of love and support from my community, which includes Muslims and Jews, has been exceptional.  

The former news photographer said he has no idea why his garage was targeted, but said that LAPD is taking the matter very seriously and has been out several times since it happened. Police have not found any additional evidence of hate crime vandalism. For now, though, authorities also have no suspects.  

New York Woman Arrested After Pepper Spraying Jewish Man and Threatening Him with Knife

A Shmira member was pepper-sprayed on Shabbos afternoon in Flatbush, near the intersection of Avenue N & East 22nd Street.

The volunteer was sprayed directly in his eyes, after asking a female why she was ripping down posters of hostages kidnapped by Hamas. The individual pointed a knife at the Shmira volunteer, and yelled “Allah Akbar, I will cut all you Jews up.”

The member requested backup and the suspect was quickly apprehended by additional members. NYPD officers responded and placed the female under arrest.

The suspect’s family came down as she was being arrested and began making antisemitic remarks toward bystanders.

The volunteer was transported to the hospital for treatment by Hatzalah.

Pro-Israel Yard Signs Destroyed in Chicago Neighborhoods

After the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that has subsequently erupted into the Israel-Hamas war, some Skokie residents put up yard signs affirming support for Israel. Last week, Skokie Police said some of those signs were targeted and destroyed, which they determined to be a hate crime.

Skokie police said 10 locations near Church Street and Kostner Avenue had signs that said “We Stand with Israel,” with images of both the U.S. and Israeli flags, destroyed in the early morning of Nov. 3. Sergeant Brandi Shelton said no one is in custody and police are investigating the matter.

Rabbi Shaanan Gelman of the Kehilat Chovevei Tzion synagogue in Skokie told Pioneer Press that many of the neighbors that had their signs destroyed belong to his congregation.

“It’s quite jarring; people are scared,” he said.

Gelman said members of his synagogue were scared to put their signs up in support of Israel in the first place, citing rising antisemitic incidents across the U.S. and Chicago. “Antisemites are approaching our peaceful rallies. They’re shouting, attacking [and] surrounding people, threatening their lives,” said Gelman.

Paul Sassieni, a member of Gelman’s congregation and a Skokie resident who lives on the block where the yards signs were ripped up, said when he walked out of his home last week, the remains of the signs on front lawns were “disturbing.”

“Whoever took them down is obviously intolerant of other people’s views,” said Sassieni. He also pointed out that because of the way that they were destroyed, he believed that a box cutter was used.

Sassieni said he didn’t have a yard sign himself, but he had a mezuzah, a religious object nailed to the front post of his yard, vandalized. He said it’s possible that the two incidents were unrelated, and he doesn’t have proof that the same people who ripped the signs also destroyed his mezuzah. Regardless, he said the act was antisemitic.

Gelman said this type of incident and escalation is akin in some ways to Kristallnacht, a violent event in Nazi Germany in 1938, in which Nazis vandalized Jewish homes and targeted Jews, many of whom were killed. It escalated Nazi Germany’s antisemitic treatment of and attitudes toward Jews in the year before the Nazis invaded Poland, which started World War II.

“The Germans called for the destruction and, ultimately, the extermination of all the Jews. And that’s exactly what’s in the Hamas charter,” said Gelman.

Gelman added, “The Hamas charter calls for the extermination of Jews the world over. And so when they ripped down our signs, it’s not vandalism, it is a hate crime, and it cuts deep.”

After the signs were destroyed, Sassieni said he was interested in posting one on his lawn, saying that he was not intimidated by the actions to destroy the signs. He said he has already heard neighbors talk about ordering more signs.

“Hopefully, more people put out these lawn signs expressing solidarity with Israel, and I will be one of them,” said Sassieni.

Arizona Man Arrested for Threatening to Execute Local Rabbi

An Arizona man accused of making threats has been charged with telling a rabbi that he would kill Jewish people, federal prosecutors said Monday.

Jeffrey Mindock, 47, of Tempe, is accused of emailing the threat to a rabbi in Scottsdale on Friday and demanding that the rabbi persuade a Utah judge to drop a state criminal case against him.

“If you do not use your influence to right this wrong I will execute you and every other Jew I can find at midnight of your Sabbath,” the email said, according to a criminal complaint.

U.S. officials have warned of a rise in antisemitism amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7.

The email sent Friday refers to what it calls atrocities against Palestinians, but it also demands that a previous Utah criminal court case against the man be dropped, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint.

Mindock appears to have been sending threatening emails since 2020, according to the affidavit.

He was arrested by Tempe police in 2021, and in August 2020 he made a complaint “and stated that his neighbor ... was weaponizing the police against Mindock,” the FBI agent wrote in the affidavit.

In connection with Friday's incident, Mindock is charged with one count of knowingly transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce, with intent to threaten.

A federal public defender listed as representing Mindock did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night.

A New York Public Defender Steps Down after Caught Tearing Down Hostage Posters

A public defender in New York County, Victoria Ruiz, has resigned from her job after issuing an apology.  She was identified tearing down Israeli hostage posters. 

Ruiz, an attorney with the New York County Defender Services, faced public backlash after she was caught on video tearing down posters displaying images of Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. The incident, which occurred amid tensions during the Israel-Hamas war, raised questions about her impartiality and professional conduct in her job.

In a viral video shared on social media by StopAntisemitism, Victoria Ruiz can be seen brazenly tearing down one of many posters displayed across New York City. The posters were intended to raise awareness about missing Israeli children, and the person behind the camera repeatedly questioned her actions. “Why are you taking down pictures of missing children?” he asked.

Antisemitic Symbol Defaces California High School

A hateful symbol that appeared to be a swastika was found Friday in a stairwell at Washington High School in San Francisco, the San Francisco Unified School District confirmed. The school immediately removed the graffiti and is investigating the incident to try and determine who is responsible.

“We do not tolerate any form of hate in SFUSD,” the district said in a statement. “Those responsible for the graffiti will be held accountable in accordance with SFUSD policies.

Washington High will be sharing updates directly with students, families and staff, SFUSD said. Support will be offered to those who need it.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions related to the Middle East conflict between Israel and Hamas. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of SF Saturday, demanding a ceasefire in the conflict.

Across the Bay Area, there have been reports of rising instances of antisemitism on campuses.

Canadian Man Arrested for Making Violent Antisemitic Threats Against Rabbi

Ottawa police have laid several charges against a 29-year-old man after a local rabbi reported a threatening phone call.

Police said in a news release that they received a complaint Friday about a threatening phone call to a religious leader. A man was arrested on Saturday.

Rabbi Idan Scher, the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa, told CTV News Ottawa that he had received the threatening phone call and reported it to police.

"They went on a diatribe on how our community supports Israel, our community are Zionists, which means we are Nazis, which means we all need to be killed," Scher said.

Ottawa police did not identify the accused in a news release Monday. Police said he is charged with "various hate-motivated offences" and is due in court Monday.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, Ottawa police have stepped up patrols around Jewish and Muslim institutions in the city and have investigated reported hate-motivated incidents and crimes, including a bomb threat to a local Jewish school and a social media image of a man with a sign on Parliament Hill comparing Israel to the Nazis.

Scher said the sign on Parliament Hill was troubling to see.

"Anytime we see a swastika it is traumatic because of what it represents. It represents six-million Jews. These are our grandparents, our great-uncles, our great-aunts, family members that were killed in a genocide," he said.

The sign had a picture of the Israeli flag next to a picture of a Nazi swastika, with the words "Zionism = Nazism" underneath. 

"To see it being used in this ignorant, deliberately dangerous way, that just adds a whole new level of trauma and pain and fear for our community that is currently reeling from already increased attacks against us in the past month," Scher said.

Scher added that he hopes Ottawans will come together to denouce hatred. 

"Something that should be absolutely be shocking is no longer shocking. And I think every member of our city can actually do their part to once again make it shocking when we see a swastika on Parliament Hill," he said. "The way to do that is by showing your solidarity, sharing your voice, sharing your connections. Anything you can do to show your support for the Jewish community right now is exactly — the only thing — that can make it so it shocking when we see a swastika on Parliament Hill." 

Police are encouraging anyone who experiences or witnesses a hate-motivated crime to report it.  

Nazi Symbols Discovered in the Library of a Oregon University

On the afternoon of Friday, November 3, VP for Student Life Karnell McConnell-Black confirmed in a campus-wide email that the hateful graffiti addressed by college administration in their October 30 email to the Reed community consisted of a Nazi swastika followed by the numbers 1488, a code which serves as “a combination of two popular white supremacist numeric symbols. The first symbol is 14, which is shorthand for the ‘14 Words’ slogan: ‘We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.’ The second is 88, which stands for ‘Heil Hitler’ (H being the 8th letter of the alphabet).” While “graffiti targeting the Jewish community” had been addressed in the October 30 email, the details of the vandalism had not previously been known.

The two symbols, especially seen together, are a potent combination of virulent hate. To combine the two symbols is to directly evoke the shadow of the Holocaust and to express support for the most extreme forms of antisemitism, white supremacy, and fascism.

According to Dr. McConell-Black, a Reed student encountered the hateful graffiti in a third-floor library bathroom on the afternoon of Friday, October 27, and reported it to Community Safety. The Quest has independently confirmed that this account aligns with last week’s community safety blotter, which describes a student arriving at 28 West to report “antisemitic graffiti” that afternoon (case #230385). 

In their joint email to the campus community on October 30, Reed President Audrey Bilger, VP for Institutional Diversity Phyllis Esposito, VP for Student Life Karnell McConnell-Black, and Dean of the Faculty Kathryn Oleson said “We unequivocally condemn the act of hateful vandalism and graffiti and fully acknowledge the harm it has caused. Such actions have no place in our community, and we stand united in denouncing them.”

The October 30 email continued that “in the event of hate incidents targeting individuals from protected classes — which encompass race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, or disability — the college will promptly report such incidents to local law enforcement and the Department of Justice, providing any relevant identifying information about the individuals involved,” although the Quest has not yet been able to independently confirm whether this incident was reported to law enforcement or to which branch of law enforcement. The paper has filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the relevant records with both the Portland Police Bureau and the Department of Justice, but may not receive a response for several weeks.

Local Maryland Imam Praises the Attacks on Israel as a "Great Victory"

Imam Mahmoud Abdel-Hady of the Maryum Islamic Center of Marriottsville, Maryland hailed the October 7 massacre of Israelis and other foreign nationals in southern Israel as a “great victory.”

Abdel-Hady also said that, based on demographic trends, Muslims will be “in control of things” in the coming years.

The video revealing the remarks from the Maryland-based Imam was posted to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) X, formerly Twitter, account on Saturday.

The video was earlier posted on MEMRI’s website last month.

“When we are together with the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) will be ours. There is no doubt about that,” Abdel-Hady said.

“This is a promise from Allah, and it is going to happen. Now, eventually, this is where we [are] going, where the world [is] going. So, eventually, we are the ones who will be in control of things, or have the final say. But we need to really realize this. Why? Because simply, we are a greater number, and the way we have children, just a few years from now, we're going to be all over.”

The Imam proceeded to expand on what he sees as the implications of a future demographic shift, stating that things will have to be done by Muslims, for Muslims. This is an outcome, he says, that is inevitable.

“What happened during the seventh of this month, it was a victory. In a frame of time, that was a great victory,” Abdel-Hady continued.

He went on to explain that it represented a moment that, like others in history, designated a shift in the way the rest of the conflict would play out.

The Imam cites the Tet Offensive in Vietnam as a turning point to buttress his point.

On Thursday, in the wake of the video’s release to the public, the Maryum Islamic Center released a press statement on its website clarifying the Imam’s remarks.

“We, at Maryum Islamic Center (MIC), condemn the violent acts against innocent civilian lives that have taken place in both Israel and Palestine,” the statement begins. It goes on to state that what Abdel-Hady meant was that “finally there is global attention to the Palestinian cause.

The lecture about Palestine was meant to explore the history of Palestine, and victory refers to the consequence of the brutal deaths of mass numbers of Palestinians. The term victory is used in the sense that it has compelled people to pay more attention to the history and current conditions faced by the Palestinian people.”

The statement goes on to address “the occupation and the decades-long slaughter of Palestinian civilians.”

It goes on to accuse MEMRI and other “radical media outlets and organizations” of Islamophobia and misrepresenting the statements of the Imam. The statement neither mentions nor condemns Hamas, the Palestinian terror organization responsible for the slaughter on October 7.

Israeli Flagged Ripped Down From Flag Display at Florida Elementary School

The Palm Beach Schools Police Department is investigating an antisemitic act of vandalism that took place at Equestrian Trails Elementary School in Wellington.

The incident took place on Friday afternoon. The school did not disclose what occurred, just an act of antisemitic vandalism took place.

The school's principal — Michele Chorniewy — sent a message out to parents and guardians informing them of the situation:

School Police are currently investigating an antisemitic act of vandalism that took place on our campus. Once the investigation is completed, the individual responsible may face criminal charges and discipline, if applicable, as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

I want to assure you that your children are safe. Our District takes a strict stance against antisemitic activity and is committed to educating our students with a deeper understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, intolerance, and stereotyping. It is crucial that every student and staff member feels safe on a school campus.

The School District of Palm Beach County makes available a wide range of grade-level appropriate resources, lectures, and interactive lessons that address intolerance and discrimination. Equestrian Trails will continue to promote a culture that embraces diversity.

A rabbi from the Wellington area told CBS12 News Friday, he received some concerning calls from parents about an Israeli flag that was allegedly torn or ripped down.

The School District of Palm Beach County declined to confirm this or share more details during the ongoing investigation.

There are several flags of different nations seen hanging from the covered outdoor walkway at the elementary school. CBS12 news did not see an Israeli flag.

An alarming rise in antisemitic acts reported across the country since Hamas and Israel went to war strikes fear into local Jewish communities.

“Having our children exposed to antisemitism, not just in general, but in the places, they go to school, is extremely troubling for us,” Melissa Arden, Chief Planning Officer with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, told CBS12 News.

“The most recent data said that there’s a 388% increase in antisemitic incidents from this time last year, and that number is extremely startling. Unfortunately, it’s not surprising seeing what we’re seeing.”

Others are changing their everyday behavior out of fear of being a Jewish target.

“We’re hearing a lot of concerns from parents that fear for their children to go to Jewish institutions or wear their Judaic star proudly. Parents are telling their children to tuck that away,” Arden said. “We’re working very hard to ensure that kids feel safe, and they feel proud to be Jewish on campus, in school, or wherever they may be.”

New York Jewish Community Distraught as Memorial Banner Vandalized with Antisemitic Slurs

A banner appealing for the safe return of the over 230 individuals kidnapped by Hamas was found vandalized Thursday morning in what members of the Island’s Jewish community are calling an outrageous and disturbing act of antisemitism.

The banner, which was hung Wednesday outside of the Chabad of Staten Island in the vicinity of Harold Street and Bradley Avenue in Meiers Corner, was marred by someone who crossed out the names of the victims and wrote “F--- Jews.”

Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island (COJO) President Mendy Mirocznik told the Advance/SILive.com: “It’s a terrible thing when the symbolism of innocent people, some of which are Americans, is shown such disrespect. I’m surprised, because I assumed people in Staten Island would understand the situation in the Middle East is a sensitive one and that this is a borough that understands the pain of 9/11 and the experience of when terror rears its ugly head.”

“The desecration of this banner and what it stands for is not just an attack on the Jewish community, it is an attack on our shared human values. The defacement of a symbol of unity and compassion with such vile, antisemitic rhetoric is a stain on our community. It goes against everything Staten Island stands for,” Scott Maurer, COJO’s CEO, said in a statement.

“We remain firmly united in our condemnation of this act and in our unwavering support for the families of the victims. Let me be clear: There is no room for hatred and bigotry in our community. We will not be intimidated or deterred by such cowardly acts. We will continue to rise together, stronger and more determined, in our fight against antisemitism and all forms of hatred,” Maurer added.

Mirocznick went on to say: “We at COJO have full faith in the NYPD and the district attorney that they will do their utmost to apprehend and bring to justice all those involved in this antisemitic act of hate. The time now is to stress the message that hate has no home in Staten Island and we encourage all people of all faith traditions and backgrounds to condemn this hateful act as being wrong.”

“Positive change will only become a reality when we as a collective society truly accept that hate against any group is offensive to us all. We must personally feel offended and angry whenever hate and antisemitism occurs. Now is not the time to remain silent, now is the time for action, the time for decent people to open their mouths and raise their voice in solidarity with the Jewish community and openly say, we reject antisemitism.”

Connecticut Representative's Office Spray Painted with Antisemitic Graffiti

The words “Blood on ur hands” and “Free Palestin” were spray-painted in red paint on opposite window panes of Representative Rosa DeLauro’s campaign office on Orange Street. The News obtained a photo of the vandalism Tuesday afternoon. 

DeLauro released a statement after her office was vandalized condemning the action.

“Violence, vandalism and the destruction of property are never acceptable,” DeLauro wrote. “Discussion and dialogue are the best way to address serious issues.”

DeLauro also wrote that she is committed to the safety of her staff. 

Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel On Oct. 7 that killed at least 1,400 Israelis, according to Israeli officials, as reported by the Associated Press. Israel responded to the attack with a formal declaration of war against Hamas, airstrikes, a siege of Gaza. The Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon that according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s attacks have killed at least 8,805 Palestinians in Gaza. United Nations officials have called these attacks an “unprecedented catastrophe” and “collective punishment” in violation of international law.

On Oct. 15, Delauro affirmed her support for Israel during an event hosted by Shabtai, a Jewish leadership society at Yale. 

“Israel needs to know and to understand that they do not stand alone,” DeLauro said during the event.

DeLauro also released a statement on Oct. 31 calling for a “humanitarian pause” of Israel’s bombing of Gaza so humanitarian aid, including food, water, medicine and fuel could be brought in. In the statement she also called for the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages — over 230 —  held by Hamas.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and Senator Richard Blumenthal also expressed their support for Israel at the Shabtai event. 

On Tuesday, Elicker condemned the graffiti as an inappropriate expression of free speech. 

“Free speech is people’s right but not in this way,” Elicker told the News. “It’s unfortunate that people decided to vandalize the Congresswoman’s office. The police department is investigating to hold individuals accountable.”

The New Haven Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. 

Congresswoman Rose DeLauro has represented Connecticut’s 3rd congressional district since 1991.

Local Illinois Town Trustee Spews Dangerous Antisemitic Tropes

Calls for the resignation of DuPage Township board member Reem Townsend have intensified after her controversial remarks regarding the recent terror attacks on Israel.

”Israel is a terrorist country. Any act against them is an act of liberation and self-defense,” Townsend, a Palestinian Muslim, said in one infamous Facebook post.  

A DuPage Township meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at which time community members are expected to discuss Townsend’s conduct.

The meeting will be held at the Levy center located at 251 Canterbury Lane in Bolingbrook.

Townsend has made some notable rants regarding the conflict on Facebook, all putting the blame on Israel and its citizens.

“Israel is currently and historically governed by folks who are far right, with an agenda of Jewish supremacy and Zionist strategy (maximum land with minimum Palestinians),” Townsend said on Facebook.

“The US and international community fails to hold Israel responsible so they get away with murder and destruction day after day, year after year.”

“Since Monday, Israel has been attacking Palestinians in Jenin, destroying homes, murdering innocent civilians, even refugee camps.”

“Israel is not who you think they are. Israel is run by murdering racists, whose citizens are encouraged to attack Palestinians. And when you argue, “it’s just the government,” it’s not. These leaders are elected by their citizens, and these citizens elect these hateful leaders on purpose (70% of its voting population votes).”

Townsend, is a supporter of Black Lives Matter. Similarly, BLM chapters across the country have made statements in support of Hamas.

BLM Chicago notably posted a graphic of a hangliding militant, a nod to how many of the terrorists entered Israeli territory with the caption, “I stand with Palestine.”

According to the New York Post, BLM Chicago later partially walked back the controversial post celebrating Hamas' actions in Israel, acknowledging that the deleted graphic wasn't something they were proud of.

This came as BLM Global Network Foundation distanced itself from the Chicago chapter and BLM Grassroots, which faced criticism for posts related to the Hamas attack and was accused of glorifying the terrorists.

Townsend has been a trustee since 2021. She works as executive assistant to the CEO of Vytalize Health.

She is a Board Member for the Will County Progressives and DuPage Township Youth Committee.

Townsend is also a member of The Palestine Children's Relief Fund, NAACP, DuPage Township Democratic Organization (DTDO), Illinois Democratic Women of Will County (IDWOW), Will County Exchange Club, and ACLU.

She and her husband Dr. Eric Townsend, a local dentist, have two children together and Eric Townsend has a child from a previous relationship.