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Federal Complaint Filed Against Binghamton University Over Antisemitism

The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Binghamton University in New York over its alleged failure to respond to harassment of Jewish students, Campus Reform has learned.

The complaint was filed by Campus Reform Editor-in-Chief Dr. Zachary Marschall.

An investigation into Binghamton University was opened on Monday by the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

The letter cited an October 25, 2023, Students for Justice in Palestine “Walk out for Palestine” protest, where one student who served on the organization’s executive board said “Israel is worse than Nazi Germany,” according to a video posted to X.

The Binghamton University Zionist Organization responded to the incident in an email to the Pipe Dream, the university’s student newspaper.

“Such a comparison profoundly diminishes the Holocaust’s atrocities, where 6 million Jews were systematically and brutally murdered. To draw upon such a tragic chapter in human history for political leverage is not only historically misguided but deeply offensive, especially to Jewish students who bear the weight of the Holocaust’s legacy,” the organization wrote.

Marschall wrote in the complaint that Binghamton hasn’t properly responded to “very clear threats” to Jewish students.”

Campus Reform reached out to Binghamton for comment.

Rutgers Law Student Sues University For Antisemitic Discrimination

Yoel Ackerman, a first-year student at Rutgers Law School and an Orthodox Jew, has taken legal action against his university and various law school administrators.

The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 2, claims that he faced discrimination after reporting an incident of anti-Semitism on Rutgers’ Newark, New Jersey campus.

Ackerman’s complaint alleges that he alerted school administrators of anti-Semitic messages in a public group chat with the aim of protecting his fellow Jewish students. According to Ackerman, the messages were promoting a video containing several false statements about Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, including the claim that Hamas militants did not commit rape against Israeli women.

Ackerman asserts, however, that instead of aiding his fight against anti-Semitism, the university tried to punish him for coming forward.

In his complaint against Rutgers, which was submitted to a New Jersey state court, Ackerman contends that he is facing “serious punishment” in an upcoming disciplinary hearing with the school. The complaint refers to the disciplinary hearing as a “kangaroo court” in which Ackerman cannot be represented by counsel and will not be advised of the witnesses who will testify against him.

Rutgers, which has the second-largest population of Jewish students among public universities in the United States, reportedly has stated that Ackerman engaged in defamation by reporting the anti-Semitic messages.

In December, Campus Reform reported that Ackerman was impeached by Rutgers’ Student Bar Association for “‘doxing, defamation, and harassment.’”

In response to these claims, Ackerman’s lawsuit states that he “forwarded the public statements … with the intent to protect his fellow Jewish students and community from what he had a [sic] reasonably and in good faith believed to be harassment, intimidation, bullying and discriminatory conduct aimed at Jewish law students at the Law School.”

Ackerman’s lawsuit also makes claims about the overall campus climate at Rutgers, contending that, “[f]or years,” Jewish students at Rutgers have “reported incidents and concerns” to the university administration, yet have remained unheard. The complaint states that the university “continues to tolerate” professors and speakers who “legitimize or enforce antisemitic expression and actions, whether overt or implicit.”

As an example of this general concern, the lawsuit mentions that shortly before Ackerman reported the anti-Semitic posts to the university administration, a Rutgers student posted to the university’s online platform with a request to “go kill” an “Israeli” at a house owned by a Jewish fraternity.

The complaint also references the testimony of Rabbi Esther Reed before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security in October 2022. Reed stated that “antisemitism [at Rutgers] has risen to unprecedented levels,” with “more than triple the number of incidents [since] four years ago.”

Campus Reform has contacted Rutgers University, Yoel Ackerman, and the attorneys representing Ackerman for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

Nazi Symbol Discovered in California Park

Police in Palo Alto are investigating a case of vandalism near a public park as a hate crime after a swastika was found spray painted on a sidewalk by an unknown suspect.

The Palo Alto Police Department's 24-hour dispatch center received a call regarding the vandalism Sunday night at about 8:43 p.m. A passerby reported he had seen a swastika painted on the sidewalk near Peers Park at 1899 Park Boulevard.

An officer responded and found the swastika, which had been spray-painted in white paint and was about 15 inches in length. Police notified Palo Alto Public Works, who responded with a crew later Sunday evening and removed it.  

Police have not determined when the crime occurred and do not have any suspect information. Police said there have been no other recent reports of similar vandalism in Palo Alto.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Palo Alto police 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.  

DC Area Lyft Driver Fired After Assaulting Rabbi

Lyft has let go of a driver who assaulted the scion of a prominent Chabad rabbinical family who had used the rideshare app.

StopAntisemitism - a leading Jewish watchdog organization - shared the incident to Reels.

“Lyft unequivocally condemns this behavior,” a spokesperson told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Monday. “Upon learning of this incident, we deactivated the driver and we’ve been in touch with the rider. We encourage riders and drivers to report harassment, discrimination, or safety concerns in the Lyft app.”

The police are investigating the incident but have not classified it as a hate crime.

Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, the director of Chabad at Georgetown University, ordered a Lyft Sunday midmorning on Connecticut Avenue in Washington D.C.’s northwest quarter.

In an interview, Shemtov said he entered and asked the driver to turn down the music, which was very loud. The driver complied but also said that Shemtov could have asked in the app for no music, which Shemtov acknowledged.

Less than a minute later, the driver stopped and told Shemtov to get out of the car, saying he didn’t like his “energy,” Shemtov said.

“I told him, you know, I wish him well, I hope he finds peace and happiness and this is the most aggressive thing that’s happened to me and I get out of the car,” Shemtov said. “And then he gets out of the car and chases me up the block and starts swearing at me like with the F-word and you know, I said, like, ‘Don’t touch me, I’ll call the cops if you hit me,’ or something like that. And he then he punched me in my face.”

Shemtov said the driver punched him again after he tried to stop the driver from leaving.

Shemtov, who was treated at a clinic for a gash to his face, showed JTA video of the driver punching him in the face with with his car key sticking out of his hand. He was treated at a clinic for a gash to his face. According to the police report, which quoted Shemtov and a witness, the alleged assailant shouted “Why’d you slam my door?” as he pursued Shemtov.

In an entry on the charging document marked “suspected hate crime,” the investigating officer checked “No.”

The police report did not name the assailant. Shemtov said he was not the driver whose name appeared on his app. He shared a screenshot of the driver’s cancellation notice, and the driver photo did not resemble the man in the video he shared.

Shemtov’s father is Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who heads American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad). He was leaving the movement’s Washington headquarters after attending services with his father when the alleged assault occurred.

His grandfather is Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, who was close to the movement’s best-known rebbe, the late Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Abraham Shemtov founded the Washington office and instituted the lighting of a massive Hanukkah menorah on the Ellipse, an event that now draws prominent figures of the administration in power.

Crazed Man Arrested After Threatening British Jews With A Knife

"This incident clearly did not take place in a vacuum," said Campaign Against Antisemitism. "We have repeatedly warned of the dangers of hatred going almost unchecked on the streets of London."

London’s Metropolitan Police arrested a 34-year-old man, who displayed a knife and threatened people outside a kosher supermarket in Golders Green on Monday afternoon.

The man “was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage and racially aggravated affray,” the police department wrote. “He was taken into custody.”

The police, which were aided in the arrest by the Jewish community security group Shomrim, added that it is not investigating the incident as terror-related.

The incident, which was captured on video that circulated widely on social media, occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. in the heavily Jewish neighborhood. It comes amid weeks of anti-Israel protests, including some that have gotten violent, in the city.

The nonprofit Campaign StopAntisemitism posted that it had been told “that a man who lives near the kosher supermarket entered the premises and demanded that staff answer his questions about events ‘in Palestine.’ The staff responded that they did not wish to ‘talk about politics,’ at which point the man allegedly brandished a knife.”

In video footage, the suspect, clad in a gray hoodie and black sweatpants, displays a blue kitchen knife, at times lunging at others. One person tells him to leave. Another tries to push him away with a shopping cart.

A second video appears to show the same person—now wearing a white
skullcap—being arrested outside of a residence.

“At this point, the man had entered a building and emerged having attempted to change his appearance and donned traditional Muslim garb at which point he was apprehended,” according to the Campaign Against Antisemitism. “This incident clearly did not take place in a vacuum. We have repeatedly warned of the dangers of hatred going almost unchecked on the streets of London.”

The European Jewish Congress wrote that it is “horrified by the news of an individual wielding a knife in a kosher store.” It added that the man “shouted antisemitic abuse, chased some individuals and threatened to stab them.”

NYU Finally Suspends Known Antisemite

An adjunct professor at NYU told a group of students last month that 'it's not true' that Hamas beheaded babies and raped women in Israel on October 7, according to a video clip obtained by The Free Press.

During a December 5 'teach-in' organized by the Students for Justice in Palestinechapter at The New School, Amin Husain told students that they live 'in a Zionist city.'

He then cited a petition in circulation that calls for his dismissal from NYU due to his promotion of 'hate speech,' and joked that he has 'won the honors of anti-Semitic multiple times.'

In a statement given to DailyMail.com, NYU spokesperson John Beckman confirmed Husain's suspension from the institution.

'To be clear, Mr. Husain has been suspended and is not currently teaching any classes at NYU. 

'All members of our community must adhere to the University’s discrimination and anti-harassment policies; We investigate all complaints we receive and take appropriate action, which may include taking measures, such as suspension,' he said.

A spokesperson for The New School said 'the remarks made by Husain at these events (teach-ins) are outrageous and offensive. 

'Antisemitism has no place on our campus or anywhere else.' 

Husain, 48, who was recorded at the teach-in on a livestream, sported a keffiyeh and spoke to the classroom about the many facets of the 'Palestinian liberation struggle.'

'These groups are fighting for the liberation of their people and their land. That’s a right. You do it,' he said.

'If you don’t like Hamas, read the land and the people. But if you don’t like Hamas, also read their charter in 2017,' he said.

The 2017 updated charter removed language included in the original version that explicitly urges Muslims to kills Jews.

The current version contends that 'Hamas affirms that its conflict is with the Zionist project not with the Jews because of their religion.'

He cautions the students against trusting what the media says, because their questions 'try to put you on the defensive.'

'They try to say ... "Oh my God, you're supporting rapists and people that behead babies," both of which, you know, whatever, we know it's not true,' he said.

Husain, an attorney, does not currently appear to be teaching any classes at NYU.

Between 2016 and 2022, he taught a spring semester class called 'Art, Activism, and Beyond,' which incorporated lessons based on activist movements including Black Lives Matter, Direct Action Front for Palestine, Occupy Wall Street, and Decolonize This Place, and others.

He was also apparently an adjunct professor at The New School of Public Engagement, where he once taught a graduate course called 'Race, Class, and Ethnicity in the Media.'

Though a spokesperson for the institution told DailyMail.com that 'Husain has not been affiliated with The New School since 2019.' 

On the livestream, he joked to the students that his Canary Mission profile 'is one of the best biographies I have.'

Canary Mission is a site that catalogues people and groups who promote hatred aimed at Jews, Israel, and the United States.

'It’s endless. The citations are better than I could ever imagine,' he said. 'And everything they cite is true.'

Husain's lengthy profile claims, correctly according to him, that he 'has organized multiple violent New York City disruptions, promoted hatred of America and the police and incited hatred against pro-Israel supporters with Within Our Lifetime (WOL), an anti-Israel activist group in New York.'

'He has also expressed support for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group and glorified its leaders, promoted other terrorists and spread hatred of Israel,' according to the site.

He further claims to have 'participated in the first intifada and personally visited a leader of the terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). He has also expressed support for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group and glorified its leaders, promoted other terrorists and spread hatred of Israel.'

Husain is also the founding member of Decolonize This Place, a radical activist group that, in the immediate aftermath of October 7, praised the radical Palestinian terrorism as 'heroic.'

The group has also previously participated in causing $100,00 worth of damage to the NYC subway system during various anti-police riots.

Prior to the December 'teach-in,' Husain participated in a November event at The New School, during which he said he understood why October 7 has become an 'important' date to Palestinians.

Referring to the land of Israel, he said: 'This land isn’t for the Jews, I’m sorry. This land is for a lot of other things that has to do with profit, that has to do with imperialism, that has to do with interests, geopolitical interests, so that’s something also to keep in mind.'

'There is no perfect f**king victim. You're either on the side of the colonizer or the colonized.'

'The best thing we can do right now is think of ungovernability as a strategy,' he continued, endorsing Hamas' barbaric violence.

'When you take the streets, when you break windows, when you care for each other, when money doesn’t mean what they want it to mean, when you figure out how to set different values, when you know how to say to a Zionist "no," when you take a position even though you know it’ll make your life a little bit more difficult, trust me, it’s worth it. It’s worth it, and it scares the s**t out of them,' he said.

Connecticut City Council Meeting Disrupted by Antisemitic Callers

A series of antisemitic comments directed at Norwalk Common Council members has drawn police and FBI investigations.

Council members received antisemitic postcards in the mail within 10 days of having a Zoom meeting interrupted by similar comments earlier this month.

Minutes from the Ordinance Committee's Jan. 16 meeting show five commenters were muted and removed before the public hearing was closed. Police were notified about the incident.

Councilor Lisa Shanahan said the postcards, which were postmarked from California, had similar discriminatory messaging and were seized by police.

“It gives us some comfort that this isn’t locally-based,” said Shanahan.

Norwalk's delegation of state officials called the postcards "a blatant display of hatred and prejudice" and "unity is the antidote to the poison of discrimination."

Police have said criminal charges are possible.

The council is adjusting its security options for future Zoom meetings.

“We’re going to have some new procedures that make it easier to identify people ahead of time…if they’re just coming in and speaking as an attendee, we’ll have more control over their mute button,” said Shanahan.

NYC Public School Teachers Teach 3rd Graders Song to Eradicate Israel

A pair of Brooklyn public school teachers are plying kids as young as eight with anti-Israel propaganda, drawing lessons from a company that offers material twisting the classic “Wheels on the Bus” song into a hateful screed that cheers the eradication of the Jewish state, The Post has learned.

In Giuseppe Rebaudengo and Anna Battaglia’s third-grade classrooms at PS 705 in Prospect Heights, young minds are being molded into “social justice warriors,” learning from materials that morph the beloved 1939 kiddie tune into a Palestinian resistance cry called “The Wheels on the Tank.”

“The wheels on the tanks go round and round, all through the town. The people in the town they hold their ground, and never back down,” the sick new rhyme goes, illustrated with Palestinian kids hurling rocks at Israeli tanks.

“The bombs in the air go whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, all through the skies. From every river to every sea the people cry, cry, cry. Free Palestine till the wheels on the tanks fall off.”

The warped “Wheels on the Bus” was written by Woke Kindergarten founder Akiea Gross, though it is not clear exactly which materials the Brooklyn teachers pulled from Gross’ site or whether they included this rhyme.

“Thank you to @WokeKindergarten for your resources and voice on this matter,” Rebaudengo wrote in a social media post. “Your work has supported us in creating these series of lessons.”

The ultra-left wing website Woke Kindergarten includes lessons that demeans Israel as a “made up place” that has “settlers called Zionists who are harming and killing the Palestinian people.”

Drawings of watermelons — used as a symbol of resistance by anti-Israel activists — line the hallways at PS 705, according to NYC Public Schools Alliance, which fights bias in schools.

Critics ripped the lessons as nothing more than hateful indoctrination.

“I want teachers to have leeway but we should also embed teaching with fact, not propaganda,” said Tova Plaut, founder of the NYC Public Schools Alliance, which fights bias in schools.

“When we embed this bias inside young children, removing it is nearly impossible,” she added. And there is little supervision or vetting of the materials that are coming into classrooms, Plaut said.

Synagogue in Canada Vandalized on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

A synagogue in Fredericton was damaged sometime Friday night or early Saturday, with glass at the front of the structure broken by an unknown person or persons.

The vice-president of the Sgoolai Israel Synagogue in Fredericton says damage done to the building was “planned” to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Ayten Kranat said Fredericton’s Jewish community is “absolutely shocked” by the attack on the synagogue, which was discovered when a member drove past early on Saturday and saw the damage.

Glass from panels beside the front doors lay outside and inside the synagogue, on Westmorland Street in the city’s downtown. Five small glass panes built into the front doors were also smashed. “Planned. It was planned, definitely,” Kranat said. “Today is the Holocaust remembrance day, and also our Shabbat service on Saturday morning, so people go to the synagogue for services.”

On Saturday afternoon, Fredericton police issued a statement. “At present, we are actively investigating to determine whether the damage resulted from targeted hostility or other circumstances. The investigation remains ongoing, and the Fredericton Police Force is actively pursuing all leads and information related to this incident,” the statement read.

New Jersey School Suspends Jewish Student for Reporting Antisemitism

A Jewish student alleges that administrators at his Cherry Hill, N.J. public high school retaliated against him after he reported multiple instances of antisemitic bullying and threats.

Levi Bolotina, 16, and his family have appealed his suspension from Cherry Hill High School East, which U.S. News & World Report ranks No. 1,651 in its national high school rankings, No. 77 in New Jersey, and No. 41 in the metropolitan Philadelphia area.

Bolotina told JNS that a group of fellow students, clad in keffiyehs, threatened him on Oct. 12 at around 8:30 a.m. “They planned on attacking me because I had been posting videos of them wearing the garment, and the videos went viral,” he said. “I reported this to the school.”

School administrators put Bolotina in a room for two hours, he told JNS. He further alleges that while he was confined, Dennis Perry and Aaron Edwards—principal and assistant principal, respectively—“antagonized me, saying: ‘You have made yourself a target for people inside the school as well as people outside the district.’” (JNS sought comment from Perry and did not hear back.)

When released, Bolotina says the same group of students that had threatened him followed him to the cafeteria.

“Almost a minute after I sat down, [these] students had cornered me around my lunch table, making sort of an intimidating barrier. They started to threaten me to my face. Honestly, I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying to me because I was now in fight-or-flight mode,” he told JNS, adding that he felt “intimidated and in danger.”

His friends pulled him away while two others placed themselves between him and the other group. “My friends that made the barrier were now receiving jabs from the attackers,” he said. “I was escorted to yet another room … where the principal told me I had brought this upon myself. I was kicked out for the day and later suspended for a week on the grounds of incitement.”

Since those incidents, Bolotina told JNS that he has been threatened in school bathrooms and that he is unaware of any action taken against the menacing students.

Bolotina also shared with JNS a statement he made during a Dec. 19 closed session of the Cherry Hill Public Schools Board of Education.

After Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, students “showed up wearing Palestinian keffiyehs and waving Palestinian flags” and yelling “free Palestine” at Jewish students at the school, he told the board.

He added that he met with Perry and “implored him to take action, to make Jewish students feel safe.” To date, says the teen, he has seen no action taken.

To prove how his antisemitic classmates had acted, Bolotina filmed two videos of different groups of students and uploaded them to social media, he told the board.

“Senior school officials began to blame me for the growing discord at school, both to my face and publicly [if not by name],” he told the board. “I was being scapegoated by school officials, rather than them taking responsibility for their lack of leadership.”

He further alleged to the board that Edwards, the assistant principal, took him into his office to protect him from physical threats. Perry then “stormed in” and blamed him for the events, Bolotina alleged.

“He said, ‘Levi, if you post any more videos, you’re out of here,’” he told the board.

“So I agreed not to post any more videos,” the teen stated.

He told the board: “Incredibly, my attackers were suspended for less days. The principal told me I had brought this upon myself. I was kicked out for the day and later suspended for a week on the grounds of incitement.” (He didn’t say how long the others were suspended or how he knew what their punishment was.)

“Would the district tolerate such hate against any other minority?” he asked the board.

After Bolotina’s suspension, Muslim students told him in a school bathroom that “it’s not safe for Jews here,” Bolotina told the board.

“We can only conclude that Jew-hatred is tolerated by Cherry Hill Schools,” Bolotina said to them. “That Jews are second-class citizens here.”

He added that the students who threatened him weren’t suspended and that witnesses to the threats in the bathroom, whose names he provided to the Cherry Hill Police Department, reported that police officers never questioned them. (Thomas Leone, a lieutenant and investigative unit commander, said that the department cannot comment on juvenile investigations and referred questions to the school and education board.)

Bolotina added that Perry turned down an opinion article he wrote for his journalism class about the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. The principal told him that he would have to include both sides of the issue in an op-ed, Bolotina alleged.

The Cherry Hill area includes a population of about 11,000 Jews with seven synagogues and 11 kosher restaurants.

Australian PM Condemns Nazi March During International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned on Saturday domestic neo-Nazi activity after a black-clad group was arrested on the country's national day, which saw rallies in support of its Indigenous people.

Police said late on Friday, a holiday known as Australia Day, that they arrested six people and issued 55 others with infringement notices for offensive behaviour at a train station in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales state.

The group was "heavily disguised", police said.

"I was horrified," Albanese told reporters in the town of Orange, about 203 kilometres (126 miles) from Sydney, when asked about the group on Saturday.

"I don't want to see people in balaclavas dressed in black from head to toe, who are engaged in neo-Nazi activity in this country," Albanese said.

Such activity "is rightly being condemned by all decent people," he said, adding that Australia had seen a rise in neo-Nazism.

Australia Day commemorates the day Britain established New South Wales as a penal colony, but many Indigenous Australians reject it as marking the start of injustices suffered since European colonisation.

Friday saw thousands rally at "Invasion Day" events in state capitals backing the Indigenous community, many of whom want to drop celebrations or move the date.

Earlier this month, new laws banning the Nazi salute and display or sale of symbols associated with terror groups came into effect in Australia in response to more antisemitic incidents following the Israel-Gaza war.

Australia Day commemorates the day Britain established New South Wales as a penal colony, but many Indigenous Australians reject it as marking the start of injustices suffered since European colonisation.

Friday saw thousands rally at "Invasion Day" events in state capitals backing the Indigenous community, many of whom want to drop celebrations or move the date.

Earlier this month, new laws banning the Nazi salute and display or sale of symbols associated with terror groups came into effect in Australia in response to more antisemitic incidents following the Israel-Gaza war.

British Synagogue Defaced with Swastika Before International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Vandals have daubed a swastika outside a synagogue just days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The graffiti has been sprayed at the entrance of Chatham Memorial Synagogue and is the latest in a series of vile acts targeting the place of worship.

Dalia Halpern- Matthews, a trustee of the synagogue in Rochester High Street, said she was disturbed and upset by the appearance of the Nazi symbol on a pillar.

In August last year, yobs went on a wrecking spree causing thousands of pounds of damage in the cemetery of the synagogue.

A trail of destruction was left in the Jewish burial ground with the headstones of loved ones smashed and knocked down in what was treated by police as a hate crime.

It’s the sixth time the sacred site, which has just gained Grade II-listed status from Historic England, has been hit in recent years.

In other attacks, the CCTV cable was cut from the wall, excrement was smeared on the door, and graffiti including swastikas was daubed over furniture. Lead was also stripped from the roof.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day takes place on Saturday and commemorates the brutal murder of millions of Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators between 1941 and 1945.

Their attempt to wipe out all Jews in Europe, shook the foundations of civilisation.

Shopping Center in New York Vandalized with Antisemitic Graffiti

The Scarsdale community was shocked by antisemitic graffiti sprayed on the windows of two stores in the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center around 4 am on January 25, 2024. The Shopping Center sits on the border between Scarsdale and New Rochelle on Wilmot Road and is across the street from the JCC of Mid-Westchester. One of the tenants is a kosher grocery store. The incident was recorded on the shopping center’s video cameras and took place at 4 am.

Suspects used black spray paint to paint the words “Genocide Supporters” on the windows of the Scarsdale Scoop Shop and Cheryl’s Closet. Both stores had signs that read “We Stand with Israel” in their windows. The word “supporters” was misspelled. A video of the incident was posted on the social media site X. You can see it here:

The images were shared quickly across social media.

Westchester District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah And New Rochelle Police Commissioner Robert Gazzola issued the following statement: “The New Rochelle Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office are investigating reports of antisemitic graffiti found on storefronts at the Golden Horseshoe shopping center in New Rochelle this morning. We understand the unsettling atmosphere of fear across all impacted communities and the safety of our residents and businesses remains a top priority for law enforcement. We have zero tolerance for hatred and bias in Westchester and we will use the full force of the law to hold perpetrators accountable and keep our communities safe.”

An ice cream meet-up and demonstrations was scheduled for 4 pm on January 25 to show support for the Jewish community.

Rabbi Jonathan Blake of Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale had this to say: “Today, we should be celebrating Tu B’Shvat, a joyous holiday marking new beginnings in the natural world. Instead, it is with anger and sadness that we once again confront hateful speech attacking Israel and the Jewish people. As many in our community are likely already aware, last night, shops in the Golden Horseshoe were vandalized with antisemitic slurs. We condemn this hate crime perpetrated against our local businesses and our entire community.

As we stand in solidarity with our congregation, our Scarsdale/New Rochelle community, and our brothers and sisters in Israel, we want to share with you multiple opportunities to find comfort and strength in community through prayer, learning, and action.

Today at 4:00 pm, the Scoop Shop, one of the vandalized stores, will be hosting an ice cream meet-up to demonstrate that hate has no home in Westchester. Bring your children and your Israeli flags. County Executive George Latimer, as well as members of our WRT clergy, will be present.”

Cantor Chanin Rosen from Scarsdale Synagogue said, “We just learned that several business in the Golden Horseshoe across from the JCC of Mid-Westchester were vandalized overnight. We are horrified and heartbroken that antisemitism and anti-Zionism have reared their ugly heads so close to home. Incidents like this one raise anxiety about being Jewish in our world today.”

The Property Manager for the shopping center said, “Last night a hate crime was perpetrated at the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center. Antisemitic messages were spray painted on two store fronts. We are working with the local police department to address the crime. Due to this incident, we are providing security in our center to ensure the safety of our customers, employees and store owners. Hate has no place in the Golden Horseshoe.”

And a local resident said, “I am horrified to realize that such blatant antisemitism exists in our midst. I hope the perpetrators will be found and held accountable.”

Scarsdale Mayor Justin Arest released this statement at 12:45 pm on Thursday: As Mayor of Scarsdale, I unequivocally condemn the recent acts of antisemitism and the deplorable vandalism at the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center. These actions, though they technically occurred over the border in New Rochelle, have cast a shadow over our community, raising concerns and fears among our residents. Such behavior is not only unacceptable, it also goes against the core values of our community. We, in Scarsdale, stand together in denouncing these acts of hate and intolerance.

This incident transcends mere property damage. It's a grave reminder of the persistent issue of antisemitism rearing its head anew in our society. The vandalism is not just an act of defiance but a reflection of a dangerous trend of hate and misinformation, and a reminder of past dark times. We must be forthright in confronting and challenging these acts and the false narratives that accompany them. In this context, it's critical to remember and acknowledge that Hamas alone had expressed intentions of genocide in this conflict. This fact should not be overlooked or forgotten in our discourse and actions.

Recognizing the broader picture of hate and misinformation, it is essential for us to combat all forms of prejudice and bigotry. Our community must remain vigilant against any and all sources of hatred. We must continue to promote peace, understanding, and respect for everyone, irrespective of their background. And as always, should you see anything suspicious, please report it to the police.

In light of this event, I have been in touch Mayor Ramos-Herbert of New Rochelle and plan to join her at the Golden Horseshoe this afternoon at 4pm along with other concerned residents. Our united front will be a powerful symbol against antisemitism and a testament to our commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all our citizens. Let's work together to eradicate hatred and foster a community where diversity and tolerance are not just accepted but celebrated.

I must also thank our partners in other levels of government, George Latimer, Shelley Mayer, Amy Paulin, and Judah Holstein for reaching out this morning and sharing their support. County Executive Latimer shared the following, “Such hatred as expressed in this act cannot be tolerated in Westchester County. We will work with law enforcement to address this manifestation of hate.”

State Senator Mayer added, “I am deeply disturbed by the overt acts of antisemitism and vandalism at the Golden Horseshoe. It’s absolutely unacceptable and I am hopeful law enforcement quickly apprehends those responsible and they are held accountable. This act is not reflective of the community we call home. But we will not be silent when these acts occur. These acts clearly targeted our large and
vibrant Jewish communities in New Rochelle and Scarsdale. I stand fully united with them and we will not be intimidated by acts of violence such as these.”

Assembly Member Paulin expressed, “The hateful act of antisemitism found today at the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center is reprehensible and will not be tolerated. Our community is still reeling from the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, and still suffering from the knowledge that more than 100 hostages are still being held captive. That struggle has been compounded by an incessant rise in antisemitism everywhere - in our institutions of higher learning, at children’s sport games, and now this. Make no mistake, antisemitic acts such as this are a threat to our entire community, and to Jews everywhere. Racists know no boundaries. That being said, we cannot be intimidated by this hateful vandalism. We need an immediate investigation including a thorough review of the video in the area. We cannot allow acts such as this to be normalized, and I will never, ever, waiver on standing up to acts of antisemitism or hate of any kind in our community.”

County Legislator Holstein remarked, “I am horrified to see Jewish-owned businesses in my own neighborhood vandalized in a manner that evokes the darkest chapters of history. It evokes memories of the stories my grandmother told of stores marked with Jewish stars in 1930s Poland. It's shocking that some in our community justify this by conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel's policies. This attack achieves nothing except spreading fear, division, and hate. As a lifelong member of this diverse community, I condemn this blatant act of hate and call on the community to work towards a future where such intolerance has no place. We must stand together and protect the values that make Westchester special. I stand with each of you and as your County Legislator am here to serve as a resource in whatever way I can. Please reach out to my office if I can support you.”

Church in Washington Vandalized with Antisemitic Message

A South Hill church sign was vandalized with an antisemitic message this week.

The words, “GOD BLESS ISRAEL, JAN 28, 10:00 AM, ALL WELCOME” on Plymouth Congregational Church’s message board were covered by a profane message bashing “Zionism” written in orange paint. The board is outside the church on the corner of South Walnut Street and West Eighth Avenue.

The church’s pastor reported the vandalism Wednesday, said Spokane Police Department Officer Daniel Strassenberg, a spokesman for the department. The vandalism remained Thursday.

Strassenberg said police have no suspects.

The church could not be reached by phone or in person Thursday.

CNN reported earlier this month that antisemitism “skyrocketed” across the U.S. since the Israel-Hamas war broke out Oct. 7.

The league tracked 3,283 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7 and Jan. 7, a 361% increase compared to the 712 incidents the organization said were reported during the same period the year before.

The war sparked by Hamas has led to thousands of deaths and displaced much of Gaza’s population in the ensuing Israeli military response.

University of Central Florida Student Arrested After Threatening to Shoot Jews

On Tuesday, a student was arrested by UCFPD after antisemitic threats made toward other students demonstrating in support of Israel. 

The Students Supporting Israel group held an outdoor demonstration with 1400 flags symbolizing the 1400 people who were killed on October 7, 2023, during the attack on Israel, said Avremi Rapoport, junior Rabbi Chabad at UCF.

"Around 11 a.m., the student approached the table, attempting to argue with the us," said Alex Rosenblum, freshman political science major. “I told him I was not here to have arguments but to have a peaceful conversation, and if that is what he wanted, I would be down.” 

The student began to make remarks about the group, stating they “supported genocide and kill Palestinians,” said Rosenblum. 

Wednesday afternoon, UCFPD Chief of Police Carl Metzger released an email message to the UCF campus community regarding the arrest. 

“The individual went on to threaten the students, saying he was going to shoot them with a gun. This statement, a direct antisemitic threat, meets the federal definition of a hate crime,” said Metzger in his email.

Although the individual did recognize his actions were wrong and apologized, UCFPD must continue to enforce the university policy and state and federal laws, said Metzger in his email.

According to the email from Metzger, the student will still face repercussions and must answer for their violations. 

Cornell Professor Cancels First Day of Class to Boycott Israel

As students at Cornell University returned to campus on Monday after the winter recess, some freshmen in a writing seminar learned their course instructor canceled class for the day “in solidarity with collective calls for a Global Strike for Palestine,” Jewish Insider has learned. 

Alyiah Gonzales, a course instructor in Cornell’s College of Arts and Science, canceled the first day of “ENGL 1160: FWS Intersections: Race, Writing, and Power.” 

In an email to students, obtained by JI, Gonzales wrote, “Today, I am canceling class in solidarity with collective calls for a Global Strike for Palestine. As I write to you, a short drive away from the university we all attend and that I have the privilege of teaching you in, I mourn the fact that all universities in Gaza have been destroyed or demolished by Israeli military forces and operations. In Gaza, students like us, who hold a passion for learning and engaging in community knowledge production, have had their institutional resources ripped away from them one bomb at a time.”

Gonzales added that while class may be canceled, “this is not a free hour to sit passively.” 

“As your first writing assignment of the semester, I’d like you to write a 2-3 page letter/essay in which you share why you chose to enroll in Race, Writing, and Power as your FWS course… Please reflect on your intentions coming into the course, what knowledge you hope to deepen and share with myself and your peers, and how you presently understand the relationship between writing, power, and systems of oppression (including, but not limited to, race, gender, class, dis/ability, etc),” she wrote. 

Gonzales did not respond to JI’s requests for comment. On Tuesday, the university said in a press release that it is “incumbent on all of us, however, to ensure that we focus on our core missions of teaching and research, and that instructors avoid creating conditions that disenfranchise or intimidate those who do not share their views.”

Cornell made headlines in October when history professor Russell Rickford called Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel “exhilarating” and “energizing.” Rickford took a leave of absence for the remainder of the semester but according to the university website remains on staff.  

Later that month, a student who posted online threats to kill members of the university’s Jewish community was arrested for the threats.  

Jewish Man Pummeled in London After Attacker Asks if He Was Jewish

A man was asked if he was Jewish before being punched in the face in an antisemitic attack in north-west London.

Scotland Yard on Wednesday issued a photo of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the assault, which is being treated as a hate crime.

The man was in Kingsbury Road, Wembley, on October 13 when he was approached by a group of men who "asked whether he was Jewish", said the Met Police.

He moved away and tried to take a photo of the group, which reportedly prompted one of them to return and punch him in the face.

PC Catherine Brady, leading the investigation, said: “This assault left the victim incredibly shaken and we know it has caused concern within the wider community.

“Hate crime of any kind is not something we tolerate and we have been carrying out enquiries to establish who is responsible for this offence."

The incident comes as new figures reveal antisemitic hate crimes recorded by the Metropolitan Police in the wake of Hamas’s October attack on Israel were more than 13 times the number for the same period in 2022.

A total of 679 antisemitic offences were recorded by the Met Police from October 7 to November 7 2023 inclusive, compared with 50 in the equivalent period the previous year and 81 in 2021.

On Sunday a woman "thought she would die" in an antisemitic attack in Leicester Square.