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Philly Jewish-Owned Restaurant Vandalized by Pro-Hamas Supporters

Anti-Israel protesters in Philadelphia on Sunday vandalized the front door and windows of Goldie, a vegan falafel restaurant owned by American–Israeli chef Michael Solomonov, while chanting “Goldie, Goldie, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide,” according to reports and video circulating on social media.

The mob that gathered outside the eatery was participating in a larger anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian rally that took place in downtown Philadelphia, near the University of Pennsylvania. During the rally the demonstrators also chanted “long live the intifada” and “there is only one solution, intifada revolution,” and spray painted “Free Palestine” on a map of the university campus.

Solomonov was born in Israel and raised in Pittsburgh. His brother, David, was killed by snipers on the Lebanese border in 2003 while volunteering in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). After Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel, Solomonov announced that for one day he was donating 100 percent of sales from all of his Philadelphia restaurants to United Hatzalah of Israel, to help the volunteer-based organization provide free medical services to those affected by the terror attacks. A total of $100,000 was ultimately donated to United Hatzalah.

Solomonov owns a string of restaurants in Philadelphia and New York that serve Israeli-inspired cuisine.

The protest was organized by the Philly Palestine Coalition, which previously called for a boycott of “Zionist” restaurants in Philadelphia following the Hamas onslaught and distributed a list of eateries owned by Jews or Israelis.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) condemned the targeting of Goldie on Sunday night.

“Tonight in Philly, we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest,” he wrote in a post on X/Twitter. “A restaurant was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli. This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history.”

US Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), who represents the Philadelpiha area, expressed similar sentiments. He wrote on X, “I can’t believe I even have to say this but targeting businesses simply because they’re Jewish owned is despicable.”

White House spokesman Andrew Bates also addressed the incident, saying: “It is antisemitic and completely unjustifiable to target restaurants that serve Israeli food over disagreements with Israeli policy, as Governor Shapiro has underlined.”

“This behavior reveals the kind of cruel and senseless double standard that is a calling card of antisemitism,” he added. “President Biden has fought against the evil of antisemitism his entire life, including by launching the first national strategy to counter this hate in American history. He will always stand up firmly against these kinds of undignified actions.”

Meanwhile, anti-Israel activists supported the actions targeting Goldie. One X user, who claimed to be a former employee of the restaurant and accused the IDF of “war crimes,” wrote on X that “these protesters rule & should keep up the pressure.”

The vandalism at Goldie took place one day after Solomonov participated in a Shabbat brunch potluck with other food industry professionals, hosted by the Jewish Food Society in New York, in response to the rise in antisemitism around the world since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Bus Company Leaves Thousands of Canadians Stranded Heading to Pro Israel Rally

Seventeen buses intended to bring thousands of people to a mass rally against antisemitism in Ottawa, Canada on Monday morning were canceled without explanation even after having received full payment.

“Given the absolute silence of the sub-contractor and with no other explanation, we are driven to the view that this shameful decision is intended to disrupt our peaceful rally out of hatred towards Jews,” the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto said in a statement.

The name of the bus company was not immediately publicly available, but organizers said they would “respond aggressively with every legal and public affairs tool at our disposal.

Over 50 other chartered buses remain en route to pick up attendees to the rally, according to a UJA spokesperson.

Thousands are expected to rally at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday afternoon in support of Israel and against antisemitism. Many are traveling from across Canada.The rally comes two weeks after nearly 300,000 people assembled in Washington, DC for the largest pro-Israel rally in American history. That rally was also beset with allegations that buses were canceled due to antisemitism and hatred for Israel.
“Just last month, we saw a similar situation take place where antisemitic activists refused to drive Jewish Americans leaving a rally in Washington, DC,” the UJA statement said.

Study Suggests Traders May Have Profited Billions from Advance Knowledge of Hamas Terror Attack

Stock traders may have profited massively off the Hamas terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel by using advance knowledge of the onslaught to short sell Israeli companies in the days leading up to the surprise invasion, according to a new study by US researchers.

The study — titled “Trading on Terror?” — was published in the SSRN journal by Robert J. Jackson, Jr. of the New York University School of Law and Joshua Mitts of Columbia Law School. The researchers concluded that traders who apparently had prior knowledge of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks made billions of dollars.

“Informed traders increasingly disguise trades in economically linked securities such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Linking that work to longstanding literature on financial markets’ reactions to military conflict, we document a significant spike in short selling in the principal Israeli-company ETF days before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack,” the study stated. “Our findings suggest that traders informed about the coming attacks profited from these tragic events, and consistent with prior literature we show that trading of this kind occurs in gaps in US and international enforcement of legal prohibitions on informed trading.”

The researchers noted that short selling on Oct. 7 “far exceeded” the short selling that occurred during other recent periods of crisis, such as the Great Recession of 2007-2009, the 2014 Gaza war, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The study added that there was no major rise in short selling before the Israeli government passed controversial judicial reform legislation in July, after which stock prices dropped.

However, “we identify increases in short selling before the [Oct. 7] attack in dozens of Israeli companies traded in Tel Aviv,” the paper said. “For one Israeli company alone, 4.43 million new shares sold short over the Sept. 14 to Oct. 5 period yielded profits (or avoided losses) of 3.2 billion NIS on that additional short selling.”

Short selling is when a trader borrows shares and sells them, hoping the price will then fall so they can buy them back for cheaper.

“Although we see no aggregate increase in shorting of Israeli companies on US exchanges, we do identify a sharp and unusual increase, just before the attacks, in trading in risky short-dated options on these companies expiring just after the attacks,” the study found. “We identify similar patterns in the Israeli ETF at times when it was reported that Hamas was planning to execute a similar attack as in October.”

One of the biggest days of short selling occurred on Oct. 2. Given how “unusual” their findings were, the researchers wrote it was “extremely unlikely that the volume of short selling on Oct. 2 occurred by random chance.”

On Oct. 7, Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas invaded southern Israel from neighboring Gaza and murdered over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the deadliest single-day rampage against Jews since the Holocaust. The terrorists also kidnapped over 240 people as hostages in their brutal onslaught, which launched the current Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The massacre was a shock to Israel and the entire world, raising questions about who would have had advance knowledge of it. Hamas’ top leaders are reportedly billionaires with vast financial assets, although the study did not suggest whether they or anyone else specifically could have tried to profit off the brutal assault in the stock market.

Nonetheless, the researchers concluded the stock market activity leading up to Oct. 7 was likely not a coincidence.

“Taken together, this evidence indicates that the volume of short selling observed over the days immediately prior to the Hamas attack was extraordinarily high and unlikely to have been explained by bona fide market making, because that should have been accompanied by high volumes of purchases to offset those short sales — if not on the same day, certainly very quickly,” the study found. “Otherwise, the market maker would be exposed to directional movements in the stock price.”

According to one of the study’s authors, lawmakers should take lessons from this experience to prevent certain traders from profiting from terrorism and other atrocities.

“I hope these findings will lead lawmakers to think more seriously about the risk of informed trading on armed conflict — not just in Israel, but around the world,” Jackson told The Algemeiner. “It’s deeply troubling that, instead of protecting victims from terror, some seem to be profiting on it.”

"Hail Hitler" Graffiti Found at Same School That Rioted Against Jewish Teachers

Hateful graffiti — including swastikas and the words “Hail Hitler” — were scrawled near lockers inside Hillcrest High School in Queens, nine months before 400 teens rioted against a Jewish teacher because she went to a pro-Israel rally.

The sickening vandalism was discovered on Feb. 15, but school administrators dragged their feet on removing and reporting it, staffers told The Post.

“It was immediately brought to the principal’s attention and he did nothing about it,” a faculty member said.

With it still up the next day, worried staffers called outside colleagues, resulting in complaints being filed with the NYPD and Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools, officials confirmed.

“SCI received several complaints regarding the graffiti – both “Nazi graffiti” and other profane graffiti – and the school’s response to it,” a spokesperson said.

SCI referred the case back to the city Department of Education, which finally ordered the hateful display removed.

Principal Scott Milczewski told staff he doubted security camera footage would capture the culprit, insiders said, but NYPD detectives proved him wrong.

A 14-year-old was arrested and issued a juvenile report, police said.

The disturbing case of unchecked antisemitism underscores what several faculty members call alarming mismanagement by Milczewski, at the school’s helm since August 2019, when predecessor David Morrison was removed after accusations of academic and other misconduct.

This week, the Hillcrest faculty took a no-confidence survey on Milczewski, with 87% agreeing he has “created a toxic environment,” and put his own ambitions — such as “cultivating a relationship” with Chancellor David Banks, a Hillcrest grad — over the needs of students and staff, according to a letter emailed Friday to Queens City Council members and DOE officials.

The 2,387-student school has an 87% graduation rate, but only 57% of grads are deemed ready for CUNY without remedial help.

The students are 35% Latino, 28% Asian, 25% black, and 3% white.

About 30 percent of students are Muslim, officials say. “They feel a kindred spirit with the folks of the Palestinian community,” Banks said this week.

Hillcrest is plagued by frequent hallway brawls, chaos and commotion because the principal is loath to suspend or discipline unruly teens who believe they can avoid punishment, staffers say.

The school posts a “0%” suspension rate, compared to the 1% citywide average.

“It was bound to happen,” a teacher said of the riot. “It wouldn’t have happened if we had another principal.”

Hillcrest students exchanged hateful messages on Instagram attacking the Jewish teacher in the days before Nov. 20, when teens flooded the halls to rally for Palestine and demand her firing for supporting  Israel on her Facebook page.

She attended a pro-Israel rally shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre of 1,200 Israeli civilians, launching the war in Gaza.

One student copied the teacher’s photo onto an Instagram group chat, making it read, “I stand with genocide.” Another posted her photo under the words, “Genocide Supporter.”

The online messages promoted an in-school protest against the teacher, whose name is being withheld by The Post.

“Monday 5th period we’re holding a riot against [name redacted] — she needs to go.”

“Period 5th Room 330 So excited for [name redacted]’s raid.”

“[Name redacted] is going to be executed in the town square.”

Before the protest, stickers plastered on doors or walls read, “Zionism is Terrorism.”

The teacher returned to Hillcrest Thursday amid heavy security.

Students who spoke to The Post on condition of anonymitfy agreed the protest went too far, but rejected Sen. Chuck Schumer’s statement in a speech to Congress that targeting a Jewish teacher is “antisemitism, pure and simple.” 

“We did not protest because she was Jewish. We did not protest anything religion-related, color-related. That was not the reason,” a sophomore insisted. 

“They saw somebody standing with a country that’s murdering innocent children,” a junior said.

He made no mention of Hamas atrocities against Israeli civilians, including babies.

Most of the kids “weren’t protesting, they were just there for fun,” the same junior said.

Asked if students felt bad about the incident, another junior replied, “No, no one does.”

But he added, “The Jewish kids feel bad.” 

Milczewski did not answer a request for comment.

DOE spokesman Nathaniel Styer said: “Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all other types of hate and bias have no place in our schools and every student and staff member deserves to feel safe and secure, no matter who they are. It is clear from the incidents that occurred last week that the Hillcrest High School community needs support. Senior leadership have been engaged onsite at the school since the incident and we are working . . . to support Hillcrest in returning to its roots of being an exemplary place for understanding and learning. “

Ohio Synagogue Evacuated after Bomb Threat

A bomb threat forced the evacuation of a Sylvania synagogue on Saturday morning according to the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo.

The bomb threat happened as people were gathered for Shabbat services at the Congregation B’nai Israel on Sylvania Ave. around 10:15 a.m.

The Jewish Federation says the building was evacuated after a text message was sent to a crisis line and received by regional dispatch claiming someone was on their way to the synagogue with a pipe bomb in a backpack.

The Sylvania YMCA/JCC, which is on the same property and is adjacent to the synagogue, was also evacuated.

It’s unknown at this time who made the threat.

On Friday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited northwest Ohio to discuss safety in the Jewish and Muslim communities as the situation in Gaza continues.

DeWine visited the Jewish Community Center as well as the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo to discuss recent incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia and what the state is doing to protect the community.

Maryland Area Teacher Placed on Leave Over Antisemitic Posts

A Montgomery County, Maryland, middle school teacher has been placed on leave for social media posts that administrators described as “antisemitic.”

In a letter home to parents Thursday, Takoma Park Principal Erin Martin said she was made aware of “a series of antisemitic online posts” by the teacher — Angela Wolf.

Wolf posted a cartoon by known antisemite Carlos Latoof, known for winning second place in Iran’s Holocaust denying cartoon contest.

“I was extremely saddened and disappointed by the contents of these posts and strongly condemn the views expressed, as they do not align with our school’s values of inclusivity, respect, and acceptance,” Martin wrote.

“We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all our students, regardless of their background or beliefs,” Martin said.

According to the Takoma Park Elementary School website, Wolf is a leader in the school’s English Language Development (ELD) Department. The position primarily works with multilingual students in the school community.

The incident marks the second time that a Montgomery County public school teacher has been placed on leave for reportedly posting antisemitic comments on social media. Last month, Sabrina Khan-Williams, a teacher at Tilden Middle School, was placed on administrative leave after being accused of Facebook posts that were “antisemitic in nature.”

Both teachers’ comments and school investigations align with an increase in antisemitic incidents related to the Oct. 7 attack that sparked Israel’s war on Hamas inside Gaza.

“The nature of the alleged messaging is hurtful and antisemitic in nature. As a school community, we must condemn statements demeaning individuals or groups,” MCPS spokesperson Christopher Cram told WTOP.

The school system’s social media guidelines for teachers discourage staff from engaging in conduct that could be “prejudicial to your effectiveness as an MCPS employee.”

“Employees should also exercise caution and good judgment when using personal social media. The line between professional and personal is often blurred in the digital world,” the policy said of personal social media use. “If you identify yourself as an MCPS employee on your personal accounts, you should ensure that your profile and related content are consistent with how you wish to present yourself to colleagues, parents, and students.”

Nevada Teen in Custody After Making Antisemitic Terror Threats

A 16-year-old is said to have made Islamic State group-related terroristic threats targeting the Las Vegas Valley earlier this week.

The teenager, not identified because of his juvenile status, was arrested Wednesday by the Metropolitan Police Department, according to a news release.

Metro Deputy Chief Dori Koren said counter-terroism detectives in Las Vegas became aware of the online threats on Nov. 28.

He said police received multiple reports of the threats being made on a social media messaging platform, but did not go into further detail about how authorities discovered them.

“The threat involved the suspect that claimed he was commencing lone-wolf terroristic attacks here in Las Vegas in furtherance of support for the Islamic State terrorist organization also known as ISIS,” Koren said during a Friday afternoon news conference at Metro headquarters.

In a message shown at the press conference, the sender identified himself as “a supporter” of the Islamic State group and said he was seeking other supporters to assist him in the attacks.

Koren said police found a handmade ISIS flag, a handmade ISIS headband, handmade ISIS patches, ISIS propaganda, antisemitic threats, bomb-making recipes and the ingredients to make an improvised explosive at the teen’s home when they arrested him without incident. He did not specify any details about the threats, such as targeted locations.

Koren said the suspect faces multiple charges in connection with the case, including five counts of possession of explosive components.

The teenager was living with his mother, stepfather and several siblings in Las Vegas, Koren said. He said they were residents of Las Vegas, but it was undetermined for how long.

Koren said police believe the incident was isolated and there were no other known current threats in the valley.

Man Arrested for Vandalizing Pro-Israel Sign Outside Bagel Shop in South Florida

Police announced the arrest of a 24-year-old man Friday who they accused of committing a hate crime after he allegedly vandalized a pro-Israel sign placed outside of a Miami Beach business.

It happened in late October at Bagel Time Cafe, located at 3915 Alton Road, just south of 41st Street.

The business had placed a banner stating “Bagel Time proudly stands with Israel.”

Police said Nour Abaido, of Coral Springs, was seen in the video exiting his vehicle after stopping in the middle of traffic, trying to take down the sign and then slashing it after he fails.

Authorities said Abaido was caught on camera causing significant damage to the sign which was valued at approximately $400.

“Acts of antisemitism in the United States and throughout the world are on a dramatic rise.  This is a serious concern for the Jewish people worldwide and we are making a statement here in Miami Beach that acts of antisemitism will be enforced and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner told Local 10 News on Friday.

Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine echoed Meiner’s statements in an interview with Local 10 News reporter Cody Weddle on Friday,

“Miami Beach is a welcoming place for all, but if you come here and you think you’re going to intimidate our residents, intimidate any types of our community with hate, or prejudice, and especially antisemitism, Miami Beach will not stand for that,” he said. “We have one of the finest police departments in the world, and they will find the people that responsible for this.”

Authorities said with the support of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Hate Crimes Unit and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s Violent Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response (VIPER) unit, an arrest warrant was executed, and Abaido was taken into custody without any further incident.

“I appreciate the collaborative effort of our partner agencies in bringing the perpetrator of this horrendous crime to justice,” added Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones in the news release. “This act, fueled by hate, has no place in the City of Miami Beach, and I am immensely proud of our investigators for their diligence and meticulousness, which led to a successful apprehension.”

Detectives said Abaido bonded out of jail and is facing a charge of criminal mischief with prejudice for damages over $200.

Investigators are also searching for a woman who they said was caught on surveillance video vandalizing an Israeli and an American flag placed outside the same bagel shop early Tuesday morning.

Police have not said if the two incidents are connected.

The public may report any suspected hate crimes in the county to the state attorney’s office by calling its “Hate Crime Hotline” at 786-687-2566.

Anyone with information on either case is also urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Anti Israel Protestor in Critical Condition After Setting Themself on Fire in Georgia

A protester and a security guard were injured Friday afternoon in an "extreme political protest" in Midtown, police said. 

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a Friday news conference that a person stood outside the Israeli Consulate General building, located at 1100 Spring Street, right next to a school, where they allegedly set themselves on fire. A security guard tried to stop the person but was hurt in the process.

Atlanta Fire Chief Rod Smith said the security guard was burned on his wrist, and the protester received third-degree burns on their body. 

The protester is in "critical condition," according to Smith. Schierbuam said a Palestinian flag was recovered from the scene.

Schierbaum said they do not believe anyone at the Israeli General Consulate is in danger. He added that all of the staff and residents were safe in the incident.

Friday started out normally for Charm Lash owner Christine Lee until she heard sirens around 12:30 p.m. 

“I came outside to take a look and see what's going on," Lee said. "I noticed a lot of fire trucks out here, ambulances as well, and APD was out here and along with the crime scene unit, a lot of people outside, and I saw a couple of stretchers.” 

Lee's lash studio is directly across the street from the building where the incident happened.

“I did see some clothing that looked like it was burnt," Lee said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Israeli consulate said it was "saddened" to hear about the incident, which they called a "horrific" way to express their position toward Israel.

"The sanctity of life is our highest value," Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon said. "Our prayers are with the security officer who was injured while trying to prevent this tragic act. We are grateful to the city of Atlanta’s law enforcement and first responders for all they do to ensure safety.”

In a comment, the FBI Atlanta Office said it is "aware of the Incident and is coordinating with local law enforcement." Images from the scene showed both local and federal investigators -- including agents from the ATF -- inspecting the aftermath of the incident; evidence markers were placed by charred bits of fabric, a backpack and what appeared to be a fuel canister surrounding a bench.

“It's terrible. Hopefully that person is OK," Lee said. 

Washington House Representative's Home Vandalized by anti Israel Radicals

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said his home in Bellevue, Wash., was vandalized Thursday night over the current conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

“Last night, my house was vandalized by people advocating for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza,” Smith said in a statement in a Friday press release. “This attack is sadly reflective of the coarsening of the political discourse in our country, and is completely unwarranted, unnecessary, and harmful to our political system.”

“Throughout the course of my career, my staff and I have continually met with groups from all parts of the political spectrum, including Pro-Palestinian and left-wing activists, and I remain open to meeting with these groups and discussing our differences and where we can come together in a productive and peaceful way,” Smith continued in the release.

Smith’s claim of vandalism comes shortly after a synagogue in his congressional district was vandalized last month, which he condemned alongside fellow Washington House member Rep. Suzan DelBene (D).

“The vandalism at Herzl-Ner Tamid is horrifying and heartbreaking,” Smith said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “I condemn this atrocity and stand with the Jewish community in the Ninth District and across the country. Our Jewish friends deserve to feel safe – especially at their places of worship.”

The synagogue, Herzl-Ner Tamid, located on Mercer Island, confirmed it was vandalized with graffiti in a previous Facebook post.

“We are taking this incident very seriously,” the post read. “Despite this adversity, our commitment to leading fulfilled, connected Jewish lives remains steadfast.”

“Thank you for standing strong with us,” the post continued. “We would like to take a moment to thank everyone for the outpouring of support.”

New York Police Department Arrests Three Teens for String of Assaults on Jewish People

The NYPD says it has arrested three teenage boys in connection to a string of assaults on Jewish people in Brooklyn last week.

The three suspects attacked three Jewish people in under 40 minutes in Midwood on the afternoon of November 25. 

Two of the suspects, both 14 years old, have been charged with three counts of assault as a hate crime. The third suspect, a 13-year-old, has been charged with two counts of assault.

According to police, in the first incident, police say the suspects confronted a 40-year-old man walking home from a synagogue near East 15th Street and Avenue L, punching him multiple times and fleeing on a scooter.

Just over 30 minutes later, the suspects approached a 15-year-old boy walking near Avenue J and East 17th Street, punching and kicking that victim before running away on foot.

Finally, just five minutes later, the suspects attacked a 27-year-old man walking near East 18th Street and Avenue L, kicking the victim before fleeing on foot.

All three victims sustained minor injuries but refused medical attention.

Hate crimes against Jewish people in New York City have soared since the October 7 Hamas terror attack in Israel and Israel's resulting military campaign in Gaza.

New Jersey Officials Charge Contractor for Refusing Services to Jewish Customers

State officials issued a Notice of Violation against a freelance “gig economy” worker in North Jersey, who said he would not be taking business from Jewish customers in multiple online posts.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin’s office said that Melquisedec Francis, who advertised his services as a contractor on Taskrabbit and other project help platforms, violated the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) by refusing service to Jewish patrons. The Division on Civil Rights issued a Notice of Violation against him on Thursday, which outlines eight conditions he must fulfill to be in compliance with state law.

Francis is a Paterson resident, according to his LinkedIn profile. In an Oct. 23 post reviewed by Patch, Francis wrote he was “currently not offering my services to the Jewish Community” including his clients in North Jersey and New York City.

Francis said it was an expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the war in Gaza, and that he was being “attacked” for his position by other users. He reiterated his refusal to confirm job requests from Jewish clients in a subsequent LinkedIn post.

"Until the war in Gaza comes to a conclusion, I wont confirm job request (sic) from the Jewish Community," he wrote.

Taskrabbit indicated on Oct. 24 that it had deactivated Francis’ account, writing that they were "made aware of a discriminatory comment" written by a user.

"We want to reiterate that Taskrabbit does not condone discrimination of any kind, including antisemitism, on our platform," the company wrote. "We immediately took action to ensure Taskrabbit remains a safe place for all users."

The state's Notice of Violation requires Francis to cease and desist from discriminating against patrons, adopt a written nondiscrimination policy that is consistent with the NJLAD, and publish communications stating he will provide services in accordance with state law “ on all active platforms where he previously posted communications limiting the availability of services to Jewish patrons.”

These conditions also include training on antisemitism, implicit bias, and how state law against discrimination applies in places of public accommodation.

“Anyone who discriminates against others based on religion, national origin, ancestry, or race is breaking the law in New Jersey,” said Platkin. “There is no justification for denying services to members of the public based on antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any other kind of discrimination, and we are committed to holding anyone who engages in discriminatory practices accountable.”

New Jersey Duo Arrested for Setting a Fire and Spray-Painting Swastikas at Park and School

Two Lacey Township residents have been arrested on charges they set a fire and spray-painted swastikas at a park, school and grocery store in their town, police said.

Alexander Gerber, 19, and Connor Dougherty, 20, are charged with third-degree arson and four counts of criminal mischief accusing them of a crime spree that vandalized three separate locations, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday.

The first incident was reported Nov. 21 when Lacey Township police discovered a fire in the women’s restroom at Gille Park. The Lanoka Harbor Fire Department extinguished the fire and determined it was intentionally set, the prosecutor’s office said.

On Sunday, graffiti was found and swastikas were spray painted at various locations around Gille Park. Police also found damage to the women’s restroom door at the park.

Officers found more graffiti and swastikas Tuesday on a clothing bin at the Mill Pond Elementary School basketball courts, and another swastika was found on the rear of the ShopRite building on North Main Street, the prosecutor’s office said.

Authorities identified a Chevrolet pickup associated with at least one of the incidents at 3:25 p.m. on Tuesday, police stopped the pickup on Deerhead Lake Drive, officials said. Gerber was driving and was taken into custody, police said.

Both men are being held at the Ocean County jail pending a detention hearing.

Fire Crews Respond to Suspicious Package at Washington Temple

Fire crews responded to reports of a suspicious package at Temple de Hirsch Sinai in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood Thursday afternoon, adding to the list of threats and vandalism at several local Jewish institutions over the past month.

Hazmat crews conducted initial testing of the package and determined there was no hazardous substance, Seattle Fire Department spokesman David Cuerpo said. No one was injured.

The incident has been turned over to law enforcement, Cuerpo added.

At least seven Seattle and Mercer Island institutions have received suspicious envelopes, some containing white powder, since Nov. 3.

Mercer Island’s Herzl-Ner Tamid was also vandalized with graffiti last week in what local and state leaders called a hate crime and an assault on Jewish people.

“Unfortunately, it’s part of the climate that we’re living in,” Senior Rabbi Daniel Weiner said of Thursday’s suspicious package. “It’s part of a larger campaign of intimidation against the Jewish community.”

The suspicious packages and vandalism come against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, which began with an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and has seen the continued bombardment and invasion of Gaza.

An event scheduled at Temple de Hirsch Sinai for Thursday evening will go on as planned, Weiner said. “Faces of October 7th” will feature the personal story of Shye Klein Weinstein, a survivor of the Oct. 7 attack on the Tribe of Nova music festival.

“As much as we are exerting caution with everything, we’re not going to allow those who are wishing to intimidate us to be successful with that,” Weiner said.

Antisemitic Graffiti Discovered for Fourth Time on California Campus

The fourth instance of discriminatory graffiti vandalism was found at San Francisco State University on Nov. 28, as stated in a campus-wide email.

Jamilla Moore, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, emailed students to inform them of antisemitic graffiti.

“At SF State, we condemn antisemitism and any language or behaviors that promote violence against Jewish people. The graffiti is disturbing, disappointing, and does not reflect the values of San Francisco State University,” said the email.

Kent Bravo, SFSU’s public affairs and communications specialist, shared an extended statement from the university.

The statement reads, “We support the rights of all students to express themselves but must express disappointment in any message that contains threatening language. SF State condemns antisemitism, and we are proud of the work we’ve done to foster and promote a positive climate for our Jewish students. ”

SF State has collaborated with the Campus Climate Assessment Project to develop a measurable, actionable plan for moving forward in such situations, according to Fredrick Smith, associate vice president of Equity & Community Inclusion.

“We continue to support our Jewish students with our Coordinator of Jewish Student Life and Interfaith Programs with individual and group support, programs, and educational opportunities,” Smith said. “We are disappointed that people would choose to use threatening language against any community at SF State.”

Rodger Feigelson is the executive director of San Francisco Hillel, which provides support and programming for Jewish students on campus.

“I think it’s tragic and unacceptable,” said Fiegelson. “I’m super happy that the administration jumped on it quickly to both remove it and send out a note to the community that it doesn’t reflect our values.”

Fiegelson went on to say that SFSU has a challenging environment for Jewish students. However, the school has been trying to combat these instances of hate.

“What’s really made a difference recently is that SFSU has joined the Campus Climate initiative to help setting up protocols, policies and procedures on how to deal with these situations,” said Fiegelson. “I think that’s really set up the University to be much more effective, quick and knowledgeable on how to deal with these issues.”

Figelson also mentioned that students aren’t entirely comfortable expressing themselves on campus.

“You hear from students that need to hide their Jewish identity. They need to hide their Star of David necklace when they’re on campus,” said Figelsob.

On Oct. 9th, anti-LGBTQ graffiti was discovered at the top level of the Cesar Chavez Student Center. Two days later, anti-transgender graffiti was discovered on the sidewalk of the west campus green residence hall construction site.

Jeremy Lark, the director of the Queer & Trans Resource Center, expressed their discontent with the environment at SF State following this semester’s graffiti.

“I’m honestly not surprised in the least bit,” said Lark. “SFSU has been leaning on its social justice reputation for so long without doing the work.”

Lark also expressed their opinion on the university’s lack of involvement in stopping incidents like these from happening.

“The university can have their meetings and fight for weeks and weeks over how they can release a statement, but they’re not actually doing anything about it,” said Lark. “The students have to do all the work on their behalf, and they’re refusing to even provide those students with the support they need.”

University PD is currently investigating yesterday’s graffiti. Currently, no evidence identifies the party or parties responsible. If you have any information about the vandalism, contact the Division of Campus Safety at (415) 338-2222.

New York Man Draws Antisemitic Image on Apartment Building

A man scrawled the Star of David and “Jew?” onto the front door of a Manhattan apartment building, one of the latest outrageous acts of antisemitism to scourge the city, police said Thursday.

The bigot approached the upscale building on Fifth Ave. near E. 20th St. in the Flatiron District around 8 p.m. Nov. 9, cops said.

After vandalizing the building, he took off on foot.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.

Hate crimes across the city have exploded since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, prompting a strong military response.

In October, there were 101 incidents compared to 45 during the same month last year — a 124% uptick, according to police data.

Anti-Jewish incidents in particular soared, the data shows. Of the 101 incidents, 69 were antisemitic — 214% more than the 22 last October.

Protestors at New York Christmas Tree Lighting Kicked Out for Swastika Posters

At least two protesters brandished signs with swastikas at an anti-Israel protest targeting the annual Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday night.

One demonstrator held a sign with the Nazi symbol and the words “Israeli military.” The protester was forcibly ejected from the event by other individuals who shouted at him and trampled his sign, prompting police to intervene.

Another protester carried a sign that compared Jews to Nazis via a blood-spattered swastika intertwined with a Star of David and the words, “The irony of becoming what you once hated.”

The protest took place at 47th Street and 6th Avenue, near but not at the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting ceremony, which was attended by New York City Mayor Eric Adams and featured performances from Cher, Barry Manilow and others. More than 1,000 protesters instead crowded onto the block next to another massive Christmas tree at the News Corp. company headquarters. The protest coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Wednesday. Dozens of police cordoned off the crowd on the sidelines of the event as tourists passed by, and traffic was blocked off on adjacent streets.

The organization that led the protest, Within Our Lifetime, has led near-daily protests of Israel during its war against Hamas in Gaza. The group calls for Israel’s destruction and endorsed the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel in which terrorists killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped some 240, while committing other atrocities. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claims over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s counter-offensive, a figure that is not verifiable and does not distinguish between combatants and civilians or denote casualties from misfired Palestinian rockets.

The leader of Within Our Lifetime, Nerdeen Kiswani, indicated her support for Hamas on Instagram last week, posting a picture of a boy kissing a Hamas fighter under the caption “Do you condemn Ham-.”

“We must defend the Palestinian right to resist Zionist settler violence and support Palestinian resistance in all its forms. By any means necessary. With no exceptions and no fine print,” the group said on Instagram on October 7.

Within Our Lifetime billed Wednesday’s protest as “Flood the tree lighting for Gaza,” evoking Hamas’s name for the October 7 attack, “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”

A passerby who questioned protesters about the Hamas attack was berated and driven away from the rally, with police intervening between the sides.

“NYPD, KKK, IDF they’re all the same,” the protesters chanted at police.

After protesters started marching, scuffles broke out between demonstrators and police. The NYPD said seven people had been taken into custody for one felony, five misdemeanors and one juvenile report.

In addition to the swastikas, other rhetoric and signs at the demonstration employed antisemitic imagery. Signs at the event said, “Zionist donors and trustees hands off our universities,” and showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding US President Joe Biden on a dog leash, evoking stereotypes about Jewish money and power.

Protesters also lashed Biden for his support of Israel, chanting, “Genocide Joe has got to go.”

Protesters explicitly called for the destruction of Israel, chanting, “End the settler Zionist state” and “We don’t want no two states, we want all of it.” Signs in the crowd read “Victory to the Palestinian resistance” and “Globalize the Intifada,” which protesters also chanted, a reference to a campaign of terror attacks 20 years ago that killed an estimated 1,000 Israelis.

The crowd also chanted in favor of a ceasefire. A temporary truce, agreed upon in exchange for Hamas releasing Israeli hostages, was in effect at the time of the protest.

Organizers claimed Jesus — a Jew who, according to Christian scripture, was born in Bethlehem in what is today the West Bank, and lived in the Galilee in what is presently Israel — as a Palestinian. They called to “suspend Christmas celebrations” due to the war, in line with a protest by some churches in Bethlehem.

“Palestine is the birthplace of Christianity, Jesus was a Palestinian, how can celebrations go on as normal when his birthplace is being attacked,” Within Our Lifetime said in a post announcing the event. One protester carried a sign saying, “Jesus was a Palestinian Jew.”

Within Our Lifetime also targeted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. During that event, protesters defaced the facade of the New York Public Library, causing $75,000 in damage.

The group sparked backlash earlier this month by posting maps online showing the location of Jewish and pro-Israel organizations in New York and encouraging its followers to target the institutions.

Jews are consistently targeted in hate crimes more than any other group in New York City, with over 230 antisemitic incidents reported to police so far this year. Anti-Jewish hate crimes have surged since October 7, according to NYPD data.

Jewish Man Attacked While Walking Street in New York

An Orthodox Jewish man walking on Brooklyn Ave in Crown Heights Wednesday afternoon was viciously assaulted by a male in an unprovoked assault.

According to reports, the bochur had been walking on Brooklyn Ave near Lincoln Pl around 3:30pm Wednesday, while pulling a suitcase behind him and holding a bag. Without warning or provocation he was suddenly set upon by a man who punched him and knocked him to the floor.

Video of the incident obtained by Crown Heights Shomrim shows the incident as the man, described as a male black wearing a pink coat and hat, waits for a victim near the corner of Brooklyn Ave and Lincoln Pl. As the bochur approaches the corner the man strikes, punching him and sending him fleeing back down the block. The man pursued the bochur, getting more more blows and knocking him to the floor before fleeing on Brooklyn towards Park Pl.

911 was called immediately and a canvass done to try to locate the assailant. Unfortunately, the search came up empty.

Hours later Crown Heights Shomrim was called and a search for video camera footage uncovered multiple angles of the incident and giving important clues for the detectives.

“This perpetrator committed an unprovoked vicious assault on Brooklyn Ave in the afternoon hours,” Crown Heights Shomrim wrote on social media following the incident. “The police were called and canvassed for the perp, but he got away. Shomrim was not called in the immediate aftermath of the incident. If you see him, please call Shomrim at 7187743333.”