Friday, April 19, 2024
Met apologises after ‘openly Jewish’ comment by officer near pro-Palestine demo
The Metropolitan Police has apologised after an officer used the term "openly Jewish" to an antisemitism campaigner who was threatened with arrest near a pro-Palestine march.
Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, was wearing a kippah skull cap when he was stopped from crossing the road near the demonstration in the Aldwych area of London on Saturday afternoon.
The video clip showed one police officer saying to him: "You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march, I'm not accusing you of anything but I'm worried about the reaction to your presence."
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said the officer's "poor" choice of words was "hugely regrettable".
He said: "The video posted by the Campaign Against Antisemitism will further dent the confidence of many Jewish Londoners which is the opposite of what any of us want.
"The use of the term 'openly Jewish' by one of our officers is hugely regrettable.
"It's absolutely not the basis on which we make decisions, it was a poor choice of words and while not intended, we know it will have caused offence to many. We apologise."
Mr Falter said he had been walking in the capital after attending synagogue and was not there to counter-protest.
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Thursday, April 18, 2024
Rockland Hasidic leaders hope to salvage sacred Torah scrolls after fire destroys synagogue
Members of a Rockland County synagogue are praying they will be able to salvage special religious documents after a fire destroyed their place of worship in Pomona.
News 12 was there as the sacred Torah scrolls were removed from the rubble, with the congregation looking on in anticipation.
Contractors first pulled a safe from what was left of Chassidim of 110, a Hasidic synagogue on North Ridge Road.
Then, a crew from Chaverim EMS of Rockland used heavy duty tools to open the safe to retrieve the scrolls inside.
Everything – including the safe – fell into the basement as the inside of the building collapsed.
"It was very waterlogged," said Steven Goldenberg of Chaverim EMS, "heavy and had bolts from all three sides."
The Chaverim team then carefully bagged the scrolls for transport to a local expert who will figure out whether and/or how the scrolls can be repaired.
Local police, firefighters and the New York State Bureau of Criminal Investigation were on site most of Wednesday.
They said they are looking into where the fire started, how it started and whether it might have been set on purpose.
"Our detectives are working along with the Rockland County Sheriff's Department's arson unit to try to figure out a point of origin and what could have possibly caused this," Haverstraw Police Capt. John Gould Jr. said, "but it's going to take some time. As you can see, there's a lot of rubble and debris that they have to sift through."
Meantime, the congregation and the EMS crew who extracted the scrolls can only wait.
"We have to see how it looks like," said Chaverim EMS technician Joseph Margaretten. "Hopefully we'll be able to dry it out. But as of now, I have no idea what it looks like."
Congregants said that if the expert finds that the scrolls have been damaged beyond repair, the scrolls will be buried in accordance with Jewish law and tradition.
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Monday, April 15, 2024
Jewish students say Columbia University must address antisemitism ahead of DC hearing
Jewish students from Columbia University who've experienced campus antisemitism will head to DC on Wednesday — when president Minouche Shafik gets grilled about what she's doing to address the problem, The Post has learned.
The students will also personally meet with Rep. Elise Stefanik, one of the members of the House of Representatives that will be flinging questions at the Ivy League leader.
Stefanik's pointed questions during prior hearings led to the ouster of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, who gave fumbling answers about handling antisemitism.
"The unchecked antisemitism at Columbia is not exclusive to their campus but is part of a widespread systemic moral rot rampant through our higher education system," Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference chairwoman, told The Post.
"From openly calling for the genocide of Jews to swastikas scattered across campus property, antisemitism has become commonplace at Columbia, making its Jewish students feel unsafe," she went on. "I am honored to meet the brave students from Columbia University who are bravely sharing their experiences of the inexcusable antisemitic harassment that they face. This senseless hate has no place on American campuses."
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Friday, April 12, 2024
Orthodox Jewish man stabbed multiple times outside Rockland County home: reports
An Orthodox Jewish man was stabbed multiple times outside his Rockland County home, according to reports.
The victim, who was not initially identified by authorities, left his home in New City at around 8:30 p.m. Thursday to get something from his car when he was accosted, according to Hamodia.
The suspect asked the victim a question, then attacked him with a knife — stabbing him eight times before fleeing, according to the report.
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Thursday, April 11, 2024
Ten Jewish students file lawsuit against Cooper Union for failing to address surge in antisemitism
Private college Cooper Union failed to adequately address the surge in antisemitism on campus following October 7, claim 10 Jewish students in a lawsuit filed on their behalf Thursday by the Lawfare Project and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP.
According to a release, this failure led to a terrifying incident for Jewish students on October 25 when an anti-Israel demonstration ended with Jewish students locked in the school library as a demonstrators shouted antisemitic slogans while pounding on the glass walls and trying to force the doors open.
Police were called to the scene, however lawyers said the president of Cooper Union directed them to stand down, leaving the students frightened and trapped inside.
According to the lawsuit, the president's failure to intervene on behalf of the students is one of many examples in which the school has ignored the safety and security of its Jewish student community.
Lawsuit addresses campus failures to protect Jewish students
"Cooper Union has failed to adequately protect not just our clients but other Jewish students on campus in the face of pro-Hamas hate," Brooke Goldstein, founder and executive director of The Lawfare Project said in the release. "No student should be subjected to intimidation, fear, or hatred when pursuing an education."
The Lawfare Project has filed several lawsuits against other universities, including Carnegie Mellon and Columbia, for their failure to protect Jewish students on campus, the release said.
"Despite the alarming rise in antisemitism, colleges across the United States are turning their backs on Jewish students," Ziporah Reich, director of litigation at The Lawfare Project, said in the release. "We will do everything we can to fight for our clients as they courageously assert their rights under the law."
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Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Rare 254-year-old Jewish manuscript found in Bnei Brak home
An exceptional Hebrew manuscript dating back to 1770 was recently uncovered in a house in Bnei Brak. The manuscript was penned by Rabbi Shabtai Marshakov, who meticulously recorded the teachings and practices of the Baal Shem Tov – the founder of Hasidism. The homeowner's grandfather, who was an avid collector of ancient sacred texts, purchased the manuscript during his lifetime.
The 237-page document is written on thick, well-preserved paper. It was crafted over two and a half centuries ago in what is now Ukraine and Moldova by Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Shabtai was known for his transcription of numerous Kabbalah and Hasidic books. This particular manuscript went on to form the foundation for one of the most pivotal works in Hasidic and Kabbalistic literature: Rabbi Shabtai's prayer book, which was published in 1794, 24 years after the manuscript's completion. This prayer book serves as a primary reference for the Hasidic prayer tradition and numerous Hasidic customs.
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Tuesday, April 09, 2024
Philadelphia police show support for the Jewish community on the six-month anniversary of the Israeli attack
Exactly six months after the attack on Israel, Philadelphia police hosted a listening session with the local Jewish community to hear some of their growing concerns.
"We just wanted to be here to express support for our community, especially the Jewish community, and some of the concerns and fears that we have had since October 7," Joel Meyerowitz said.
Since the conflict in Israel, people in Philadelphia and surrounding areas have been nervous, especially families with young children and those who survived the Holocaust, according to the Jewish Federation.
"When they see anti-Semitic graffiti, when people shout things from their cars, when synagogues or Jewish institutions are vandalized with swastikas and hate messages, it brings up the worst feelings," said Philadelphia police chaplain David Kushner.
In a show of support, the Philadelphia Police Commissioner, along with other officers and members of the State Police, came out to make sure they understood exactly what the Jewish community needs.
"There has been such a rise in anti-Semitism, we see it in the schools, we see it in the streets, and it's important for us to have a strong relationship with the elected officials and the police," said Robin Schatz , Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. .
"We've been very aware of that for some time and have taken a kind of elevated stance and will continue to do so in making sure we do everything we can to make them feel safe," said Philadelphia Police Chief Kevin Bethel .
The director of the secure community network says that between 2022 and 2023, reports of anti-Semitic incidents increased 500 percent, from 20 reports to 119 in Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
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Monday, April 08, 2024
Anti-Jewish Hate Couldn’t Stop 2,200 Students at Shabbat Dinner
A mega Shabbat dinner on Friday night served to unify the Jewish community of Binghamton University in New York with a record 2,200 students participating.
The Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life sponsored the April 5 event, saying that it was the largest gathering of students in one place for a Shabbat dinner.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of a community-wide Shabbat meal that began with 1,000 participants in 1994 and was led by Binghamton co-directors Rabbi Aaron and Rivkah Slonim.
Today, there are 4,000 Jewish students at Binghamton; 1,500 of them are active with Chabad during the school year in one capacity or another.
"There's a very special feeling in the room for those who put their whole heart and soul into making it and for those who experience what may be their once-a-year connection to Judaism," said Goldie Ohana, programming director of Rohr Chabad Center at Binghamton.
"It means everything to me to just spend the night together in unity," said Michal Levine, a junior, who volunteered to help coordinate the event.
It took a collective effort to pull this feat off. Some 235 student volunteers came together to organize, set up and coordinate the Shabbat dinner, which was free and open to all students, faculty and staff.
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Friday, April 05, 2024
New York police report 43 antisemitic incidents in March, reversing downward trend
New York Jewish Week via JTA — Antisemitic crimes in New York City spiked in March, reversing a month-by-month decline in the number of anti-Jewish incidents recorded by the NYPD.
There were 43 antisemitic incidents in the five boroughs reported to police last month, more than double the 17 reported in February. Anti-Jewish crimes spiked after Hamas's devastating October 7 onslaught, with 69 incidents in October and 62 in November.
The rate declined after that, with 31 incidents in both December and January and 17 last month. March's tally was the highest so far this year.
New York, on January 12, 2024. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP)
New York Jewish Week via JTA — Antisemitic crimes in New York City spiked in March, reversing a month-by-month decline in the number of anti-Jewish incidents recorded by the NYPD.
There were 43 antisemitic incidents in the five boroughs reported to police last month, more than double the 17 reported in February. Anti-Jewish crimes spiked after Hamas's devastating October 7 onslaught, with 69 incidents in October and 62 in November.
The rate declined after that, with 31 incidents in both December and January and 17 last month. March's tally was the highest so far this year.
The reason for the spike wasn't immediately clear, but the number of antisemitic hate crimes has fluctuated unpredictably in the past. In January 2022, for example, there were 15 antisemitic crimes reported to police, then in February there were 56, and in March, 23.
The pattern of anti-Israel protests in the city may also play a role, according to the Community Security Initiative, which coordinates security for Jewish institutions in the area. CSI believes protesters are increasingly targeting Jews and Jewish institutions. This could elevate more commonplace crimes into potential hate crimes, said Mitch Silber, the initiative's director.
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Thursday, April 04, 2024
Race to save historic record of Jewish life threatened by Ukraine-Russia war
Urgent efforts are under way to ensure that a unique record of early-20th-century Jewish life, which was collected by one of the leading Yiddish writers, survives the Russia-Ukraine war.
S. Ansky's The Dybbuk is probably the most famous work of Yiddish literature, along with Sholem Aleichem's stories of Tevye the Milkman, although Ansky never lived to see it performed.
From 1912 to 1914 the author — whose real name was Shloyme Zanvl Rappoport — headed an ethnographic expedition to document the legacy of Ashkenazi Jewry across the Pale of Settlement, gathering manuscripts, objects, amulets and all kinds of Judaica.
"He was aware that revolution was coming, that modernity was taking over. He wanted a record of what that life was," explained Jonathan Brent, executive director of the Yivo Institute of Jewish Research, which was set up in Vilna, Lithuania a century ago and is now based in New York.
Ansky's mission was interrupted by the First World War and the Russian revolution and he died in 1920. His collection was split into three parts: one is housed in Yivo, another in the Jewish Institute in St Petersburg, and the third in the Judaica department of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine in Kyiv.
"To this day, 110 years after the end of the Ansky expedition, there has never been a complete presentation of the materials he found," Brent said. "His dream of making the material known to the wider Jewish world never materialised. That is what we hope to do digitally."
The idea of reuniting the collection came to him during a trip in 2013 on his first visit to Kyiv. "I saw materials collected by Ansky that I didn't know existed. The archivist showed me the notes Ansky made at the Beilis trial in 1913: he was a witness to the last blood libel trial in Europe. They have never been published. A lot has never seen the light of day."
But now the historic collection is in danger following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the bombardment of Kyiv and other cities.
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Wednesday, April 03, 2024
Jews outnumber anti-Israel rally against ZAKA at NJ synagogue
Hundreds of Jews rallied at the Bnai Yeshurun synagogue in Teaneck New Jersey on Monday to counter anti-Israel protesters that had come to disrupt a planned ZAKA search and rescue organization event sharing eyewitness accounts of the October 7 massacre.
Jews from communities across the region stood in front of the synagogue with Israeli and American flags, outnumbering the dozens of protesters with Palestinian and Yemen flags. The Bergen County Jewish Action Committee told The Jerusalem Post that they estimated around 3000 participants. The Teaneck Police Department placed the figure at 1000 people from both sides.
The police said on Tuesday that they arrested New York City resident Isaac Chacarria for spitting in the face of an individual from the opposing side as the events concluded. BJAC said that the man arrested was an anti-Israel protester.
In videos of the rallies, anti-Israel protesters can be heard calling for intifadas, chanting "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," and cussing at the pro-Israel side.
Englewood resident Ami Kozak said that he had also heard protesters singing "There is only one solution, Intifada, revolution," and one man saying to the Jewish residents "You're done."
Kozak said he had come near the end, but that the chants of the anti-Israel protesters had been drowned out by the pro-Israel counter-protesters. They sang songs such as Am Yisrael Chai, chanted "Bring them [Hamas hostages] home," and sang the Israeli and American national anthems.
"The Pro-Hamas mob screamed their typical chants but were drowned out by the most beautiful rendition of Hatikvah," he said.
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Tuesday, April 02, 2024
Stop & Shop making donation to help address food insecurity among Jewish community
Stop & Shop will soon make a big donation ahead of Passover to help address the growing issue of food insecurity among the Jewish community.
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Monday, April 01, 2024
Jewish woman who confronted Met Police officer after he said a swastika banner held at a pro-Palestine rally 'needed to be taken in context' says the force needs 'basic education'
A Jewish woman who confronted a Met Police officer after he said that swastikas 'need to be taken into context' when she reported seeing them at a pro-Palestine protest has said the force needs 'basic education'.
Jocelin Weiss, 30, was blown away after being told by police that the Nazi symbol was 'not necessarily anti-Semitic or a disruption of public order' when she saw it being displayed on a poster of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Met has sparked a major backlash, including on US news websites, after video emerged of an officer seemingly justifying the use of swastikas to Ms Weiss at Saturday's march.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Ms Weiss - who moved from America to London 18 months ago - said: 'By the time I spoke to the guy that was in the interaction that was filmed, that was like the fourth officer that I had spoken to.
'I really had to go up the chain of command, only for him to tell me that the symbol in and of itself was not anti-Semitic and that it required context.
'I was just very surprised that conversation even happened. I just could not believe what came out of his mouth and part of me was almost curious to know whether he would then backtrack and realise what he said was crazy.
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