Ashland's Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Oregon was vandalized by a man throwing eggs while shouting antisemitic slurs the night of Wednesday, December 13. The Ashland Police Department is still looking for the man and is asking the community's help in identifying him.

This attack comes just weeks after bags full of sand and antisemitic rhetoric were found throughout Jackson County. These instances are in the wake of a recent increase of antisemitic incidents since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 and the war that followed.

The Rabbi of the Chabad center, Avi Zwiebel says instances like this one are another rock being thrown in a recent barrage of attacks, “People are generally shaken up, so it's a general problem now we're facing throughout the past few months and this instance definitely didn't help out. It just feeds into that fear that people are experiencing, and that's why it's important not to be afraid now, to stand up for who we are.”.

Zwiebel says that these instances are shocking, but hearing yells of antisemitism isn’t uncommon for the congregation. Hearing antisemitic rhetoric, Zwiebel says rhetoric is dangerous to the community, “it's never okay. It's never okay. Rhetoric is also not okay because rhetoric does lead to action.” Zwiebel said.

The Ashland Police department say’s instances of hate have no place within the Ashland community and that it’s understandable to see so much unease. “ I think it would only be natural for anybody who's targeted with a hate crime to feel ill at ease. And this is, of course, a great time globally of tension for the Jewish community,” said Ashland chief of police, Tighe O’Meare

Ashland Police are looking for help finding the man who committed these acts, and are asking for the community to call in if they recognize him. You can reach the Ashland Police Department at: (541) 488-2211.