Thursday, May 21, 2026
Toronto police concerned for missing Jewish girl's safety, give an update on search
Toronto police say they have elevated the search for a missing 14-year-old girl named Esther to Priority 1 status, dedicating all available resources as community volunteers join in the effort to find her.
A Priority 1 or Level 1 search is the highest level of response from the police, and mobilizes extensive resources like specialized K-9 units, drones, mounted officers and large-scale ground searches, in addition to community outreach.
A Priority 1 or Level 1 search is the highest level of response from the police, and mobilizes extensive resources like specialized K-9 units, drones, mounted officers and large-scale ground searches, in addition to community outreach.
The young Jewish girl, also known affectionately as Esti, was last seen on Friday, May 15, in the area of Earl Bales Park, a large green space located at Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West in northern Toronto.
She is described as 5-foot-2, medium build, with brown hair, and was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, a green shirt and no shoes.
“It was Friday night,” her mother, Shira, told Global News. “It was cold outside and she left, and it was dark and she didn’t have her shoes. Both of her pairs of shoes are by the door. And she doesn’t have her phone. Her phone is in the house.”
Shira added that Esther had left her home before but always returned.
Police have released an image of Esther, as well as several blurry security camera images, which have been widely shared on social media.
“It was Friday night,” her mother, Shira, told Global News. “It was cold outside and she left, and it was dark and she didn’t have her shoes. Both of her pairs of shoes are by the door. And she doesn’t have her phone. Her phone is in the house.”
Shira added that Esther had left her home before but always returned.
Police have released an image of Esther, as well as several blurry security camera images, which have been widely shared on social media.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2026
N.J. man charged with threatening Jewish nonprofit via email
A Newark man faces federal charges after allegedly sending threatening emails to a Jewish non-profit organization in New York, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Cameron Patterson, 34, was indicted May 18 on charges of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey.
Cameron Patterson, 34, was indicted May 18 on charges of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey.
Court records show Patterson sent three emails threatening physical harm to the New York-based organization on Oct. 6, 2024.
Recipients of the emails reported feeling unsafe and contacted law enforcement about the communications.
Federal investigators conducted a search of Patterson’s iCloud account, which revealed multiple images depicting or referencing violence, threats of violence and mass shootings, according to court records.
Patterson was previously charged by complaint and released. He will be arraigned on a date yet to be determined.
The charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Federal investigators conducted a search of Patterson’s iCloud account, which revealed multiple images depicting or referencing violence, threats of violence and mass shootings, according to court records.
Patterson was previously charged by complaint and released. He will be arraigned on a date yet to be determined.
The charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2026
California Fire Forces Evacuations Amid Shavuot Preparations
A brush fire that broke out Monday morning in Simi Valley, Calif., forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes as it tore through nearly 1,400 acres, darkening the skies and filling neighborhoods with smoke. By Tuesday, with winds beginning to settle, authorities reported that the fires hadn’t grown overnight and were beginning to be contained, and many residents were able to return home.
The Sandy Fire ignited around 10:45 a.m., destroyed one structure and kept firefighting aircraft busy throughout the day. For many in the area, the disruption stirred frightening memories of the Palisades fire and other blazes that have devastated Southern California in recent years.
Rabbi Nosson Gurary, who has directed Chabad-Lubavitch of Simi Valleyalongside his wife, Bassie, since 1998, said the community’s response this time was noticeably calmer.
The Sandy Fire ignited around 10:45 a.m., destroyed one structure and kept firefighting aircraft busy throughout the day. For many in the area, the disruption stirred frightening memories of the Palisades fire and other blazes that have devastated Southern California in recent years.
Rabbi Nosson Gurary, who has directed Chabad-Lubavitch of Simi Valleyalongside his wife, Bassie, since 1998, said the community’s response this time was noticeably calmer.
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Monday, May 18, 2026
Jewish man in hospital after being 'assaulted by a number of men' in Golders Green
A Jewish person was assaulted in the early hours of Monday, police said. The Metropolitan Police was called to a road in Golders Green, north London, shortly after 2am on May 18 to reports a Jewish male had been assaulted by a number of men.
The male in his 20s was taken to hospital, where he is being treated for injuries to his back and face, the force added. The alleged incident happened outside a property on The Grove.
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Friday, May 15, 2026
Neo-Nazi, known as ‘commander butcher,’ gets 15 years for plot to poison Jewish kids in Brooklyn with candy
A Georgian national known as “Commander Butcher,” who admitted to plotting a mass-casualty attack targeting Jews and minorities in New York City, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Michail Chkhikvishvili, 22, a leader of the neo-Nazi extremist group Maniac Murder Cult, pleaded guilty in November to soliciting hate crimes and distributing bomb-making and ricin instructions. He was extradited from Moldova.
Michail Chkhikvishvili, 22, a leader of the neo-Nazi extremist group Maniac Murder Cult, pleaded guilty in November to soliciting hate crimes and distributing bomb-making and ricin instructions. He was extradited from Moldova.
Federal authorities said that the plot evolved into a plan to poison Jewish children in Brooklyn on New Year’s Eve by distributing candy laced with toxins, and that Chkhikvishvili tried to recruit someone to dress as Santa Claus and pass out the poisoned candy.
Prosecutors said that he encouraged followers through Telegram and other online platforms to carry out attacks against Jews, racial minorities and others, distributing a manifesto called the “Hater’s Handbook.”
“The defendant is a hate-mongering menace who intended to hurt and kill children in the Jewish community and in other minority communities in New York City,” stated Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“As a leader of the white supremacist group ‘Maniac Murder Cult,’ this defendant concocted hate-fueled, mass-casualty plans and inspired others to commit attacks based on his vile rhetoric,” stated Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the New York City Police Department.
“The defendant is a hate-mongering menace who intended to hurt and kill children in the Jewish community and in other minority communities in New York City,” stated Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“As a leader of the white supremacist group ‘Maniac Murder Cult,’ this defendant concocted hate-fueled, mass-casualty plans and inspired others to commit attacks based on his vile rhetoric,” stated Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the New York City Police Department.
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Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Arrest made after Menorah outside midtown Toronto Jewish centre knocked down and damaged
A man wanted for allegedly damaging a Menorah at a midtown Jewish community centre last month has been arrested, Toronto police say.
The arrest came a day after police released the suspect’s image.
The arrest came a day after police released the suspect’s image.
Police said the suspect was walking in the area of Avenue and Davenport Roads on April 10, and when he passed by the Menorah outside the community centre, he allegedly knocked it down.
The Menorah, as a result, was damaged, police said.
In a news release on Tuesday, police identified the suspect as 48-year-old Jeffrey Johnston of Toronto.
He was arrested earlier in the day and charged with mischief to property under $5,000.
“The accused was identified as a result of tips received from the public,” police said in the release, thanking those who contacted them.
Police said the incident was being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.
The Menorah, as a result, was damaged, police said.
In a news release on Tuesday, police identified the suspect as 48-year-old Jeffrey Johnston of Toronto.
He was arrested earlier in the day and charged with mischief to property under $5,000.
“The accused was identified as a result of tips received from the public,” police said in the release, thanking those who contacted them.
Police said the incident was being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.
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Monday, May 11, 2026
NYPD investigating new wave of antisemitic graffiti in Queens
One week after a spate of antisemitic vandalism across Queens, the New York City Police Department is investigating two more incidents involving swastika graffiti in Highland Park and Forest Park.
The NYPD told JNS that officers responded at about 8 a.m. on Sunday to reports of a possible bias incident near Highland Boulevard and Vermont Place, across from Highland Park, within the confines of the 104th Precinct. Officers found five swastikas spray-painted on signs, objects and pavement.
About four hours later, police responded to another possible bias incident near 72nd Road and Union Turnpike, at the Forest Park Playground in the 102nd Precinct. Officers were informed that six swastikas had been spray-painted beneath an underpass, according to the NYPD.
The NYPD told JNS that officers responded at about 8 a.m. on Sunday to reports of a possible bias incident near Highland Boulevard and Vermont Place, across from Highland Park, within the confines of the 104th Precinct. Officers found five swastikas spray-painted on signs, objects and pavement.
About four hours later, police responded to another possible bias incident near 72nd Road and Union Turnpike, at the Forest Park Playground in the 102nd Precinct. Officers were informed that six swastikas had been spray-painted beneath an underpass, according to the NYPD.
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Friday, May 08, 2026
Suspicious Explosive Package Targeting Jewish Leader Heightens Antisemitism Fears in Argentina
Argentina’s authorities are investigating yet another suspected antisemitic incident after a suspicious package addressed to a local branch president of the country’s main Jewish umbrella organization was intercepted, further heightening alarms among community leaders amid a recent surge in attacks.
On Wednesday, the Pilares del Rosario medical center received a package containing explosive material addressed to Gabriel Dobkin, who serves as both the institution’s director and president of the local branch of the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA) in Rosario, a major city in the central-eastern Santa Fe province.
According to local media, clinic staff received a package containing a pack of Philip Morris cigarettes wrapped in transparent tape, which the facility’s manager said felt unusually heavy and immediately aroused suspicion.
Because the package had arrived unrequested via a delivery service, the clinic’s manager quickly raised concerns and called in the police explosives unit.
Police bomb squad dogs later detected explosive material inside the cigarette pack. According to the ongoing investigation, the package also contained a strange substance, though authorities have not yet released further details.
After digging a pit in the facility’s backyard, police experts carried out a controlled detonation of the material.
Even though the package did not include an automatic triggering mechanism, it reportedly contained a number of coins intended to serve as shrapnel in the event of an explosion.
Local law enforcement is treating the incident as a targeted antisemitic attack, describing it as either an attempted act of violence or, at the very least, an act of intimidation.
As the investigation continues, detectives are still analyzing the substance found inside the package but have not yet determined its composition or origin. Surveillance footage from the area is being reviewed, and staff from the clinic are also expected to be interviewed.
DAIA Rosario strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a troubling escalation of threats against Jewish institutions, reflecting a wider atmosphere of hostility toward the community.
“This is an expression of hatred that not only targets the Jewish community, but also undermines the fundamental values of coexistence, respect, and democracy. Such acts must be condemned unequivocally and confronted with resolve. Simply denouncing them is not enough — decisive action is essential,” the organization said in a statement.
“Impunity cannot be an option. Every act of antisemitism that goes unpunished sends a message of tolerance toward hatred,” it continued. “Every firm response from the state is a clear signal that society will not back down. To prevent these acts from recurring, determination, action, and justice are essential.”
This latest incident comes amid heightened security concerns within Argentina’s Jewish community after unknown individuals threw a homemade firebomb at the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Community Center in La Plata, a city in southeastern Buenos Aires Province, last Sunday.
The Buenos Aires Security Ministry and Police Counterterrorism Division have opened an investigation into the incident, examining possible links to another attack last week that appears to share a similar modus operandi.
The Israelite Literary Center and Max Nordau Library in La Plata were also targeted last Thursday when unidentified individuals threw a homemade Molotov-type device at the building’s entrance.
Although the device failed to ignite, it shattered the building’s windows and caused some material damage. Fortunately, no fires broke out and no injuries were reported.
In response to these latest attacks, Jewish institutions across the country have strengthened preventive protocols and reinforced internal security and surveillance measures.
On Wednesday, the Pilares del Rosario medical center received a package containing explosive material addressed to Gabriel Dobkin, who serves as both the institution’s director and president of the local branch of the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA) in Rosario, a major city in the central-eastern Santa Fe province.
According to local media, clinic staff received a package containing a pack of Philip Morris cigarettes wrapped in transparent tape, which the facility’s manager said felt unusually heavy and immediately aroused suspicion.
Because the package had arrived unrequested via a delivery service, the clinic’s manager quickly raised concerns and called in the police explosives unit.
Police bomb squad dogs later detected explosive material inside the cigarette pack. According to the ongoing investigation, the package also contained a strange substance, though authorities have not yet released further details.
After digging a pit in the facility’s backyard, police experts carried out a controlled detonation of the material.
Even though the package did not include an automatic triggering mechanism, it reportedly contained a number of coins intended to serve as shrapnel in the event of an explosion.
Local law enforcement is treating the incident as a targeted antisemitic attack, describing it as either an attempted act of violence or, at the very least, an act of intimidation.
As the investigation continues, detectives are still analyzing the substance found inside the package but have not yet determined its composition or origin. Surveillance footage from the area is being reviewed, and staff from the clinic are also expected to be interviewed.
DAIA Rosario strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a troubling escalation of threats against Jewish institutions, reflecting a wider atmosphere of hostility toward the community.
“This is an expression of hatred that not only targets the Jewish community, but also undermines the fundamental values of coexistence, respect, and democracy. Such acts must be condemned unequivocally and confronted with resolve. Simply denouncing them is not enough — decisive action is essential,” the organization said in a statement.
“Impunity cannot be an option. Every act of antisemitism that goes unpunished sends a message of tolerance toward hatred,” it continued. “Every firm response from the state is a clear signal that society will not back down. To prevent these acts from recurring, determination, action, and justice are essential.”
This latest incident comes amid heightened security concerns within Argentina’s Jewish community after unknown individuals threw a homemade firebomb at the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Community Center in La Plata, a city in southeastern Buenos Aires Province, last Sunday.
The Buenos Aires Security Ministry and Police Counterterrorism Division have opened an investigation into the incident, examining possible links to another attack last week that appears to share a similar modus operandi.
The Israelite Literary Center and Max Nordau Library in La Plata were also targeted last Thursday when unidentified individuals threw a homemade Molotov-type device at the building’s entrance.
Although the device failed to ignite, it shattered the building’s windows and caused some material damage. Fortunately, no fires broke out and no injuries were reported.
In response to these latest attacks, Jewish institutions across the country have strengthened preventive protocols and reinforced internal security and surveillance measures.
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Thursday, May 07, 2026
Car driven towards Jewish schoolboys in 'religiously aggravated assault'
Police are investigating after a car was reportedly driven toward three Jewish schoolboys in north-west London, in what officers are treating as a "religiously aggravated assault".
The headteacher of Hasmonean High School for Boys sent a letter to parents on Wednesday asking any witnesses to contact the police about what he described as an "antisemitic traffic incident".
The letter said that a black saloon-type car drove towards students waiting to cross Holders Hill Road in Finchley on April 20 at around 3.40pm.
The vehicle is then reported to have mounted the kerb, causing the students to move quickly out of the way. No injuries were reported.
The letter said that a black saloon-type car drove towards students waiting to cross Holders Hill Road in Finchley on April 20 at around 3.40pm.
The vehicle is then reported to have mounted the kerb, causing the students to move quickly out of the way. No injuries were reported.
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Wednesday, May 06, 2026
Antisemitic assaults reach record levels, audit says
The Anti-Defamation League’s 2025 audit shows a record rise in physical assaults against Jewish Americans, with 203 attacks and three deaths, even as overall antisemitic incidents fell from the 2024 peak. Experts say the surge follows the 2023 Israel‑Hamas war and reflects broader hate‑crime trends, while the ADL’s expanded definition of antisemitism has drawn criticism.
Key points:
Physical assaults classified as antisemitic increased from 196 in 2024 to 203 in 2025, according to the ADL audit.
The audit recorded three deaths in antisemitic attacks in 2025, the first such murders since 2019.
Overall antisemitic incidents in 2025 numbered 6,274, the third‑highest year since the ADL began reporting in 1979, but down from over 9,300 in 2024.
Jews, who comprise about 2% of the U.S. population, accounted for 16% of all hate‑crime victims in 2024, and anti‑Jewish hate crimes made up nearly 70% of religious‑based hate crimes, according to FBI data.
Bomb threats against Jewish institutions dropped sharply from 627 in 2024 to 59 in 2025.
Key points:
Physical assaults classified as antisemitic increased from 196 in 2024 to 203 in 2025, according to the ADL audit.
The audit recorded three deaths in antisemitic attacks in 2025, the first such murders since 2019.
Overall antisemitic incidents in 2025 numbered 6,274, the third‑highest year since the ADL began reporting in 1979, but down from over 9,300 in 2024.
Jews, who comprise about 2% of the U.S. population, accounted for 16% of all hate‑crime victims in 2024, and anti‑Jewish hate crimes made up nearly 70% of religious‑based hate crimes, according to FBI data.
Bomb threats against Jewish institutions dropped sharply from 627 in 2024 to 59 in 2025.
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Tuesday, May 05, 2026
Trump proclaims Jewish American Heritage Month, calls for National Sabbath to mark America’s 250th
President Donald J. Trump proclaimed May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month on Monday, honoring the contributions of Jewish Americans to the United States and calling for a “national Sabbath” as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
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Sunday, May 03, 2026
Former marines are hired to protect synagogues and Jewish schools after wave of anti-Semitic attacks
Former soldiers have been hired to protect synagogues and Jewish schools after a wave of anti-Semitic attacks have left British Jews terrified.
Jewish institutions have always relied on volunteers or security guards but it has been revealed they have been using the services of private contractor supplied by Community Security Trust (CST), which safeguards British Jews and distributes Home Office funding.
The firm mainly employs its staff from the armed forces, including elite fighting units in the Royal Navy and British Army.
The firm mainly employs its staff from the armed forces, including elite fighting units in the Royal Navy and British Army.
It is believed the veterans were sent to temporarily protect Jewish synagogues and schools following the Heaton Park synagogue attack in Manchester in October which saw two worshippers killed.
With the war in Iran triggering more hostility towards British Jews, the former soldiers have been sent to patrol in north London and Manchester.
With the war in Iran triggering more hostility towards British Jews, the former soldiers have been sent to patrol in north London and Manchester.
Since the conflict erupted Tehran has claimed responsibility for a number of incidents targeting Jews in the UK, including an arson attack on a fleet of Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green and at least two synagogues in Finchley and Kenton which were targeted in failed petrol bombings.
The most recent incident, labelled as a terror attack by the Met Police, came on Wednesday when a man stabbed two Jews in broad daylight in Golders Green.
Essa Suleiman, 45, who had previously been referred to the government's anti-terror scheme Prevent, is accused of attacking Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76 in the north London neighbourhood.
Essa Suleiman, 45, who had previously been referred to the government's anti-terror scheme Prevent, is accused of attacking Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76 in the north London neighbourhood.
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Friday, May 01, 2026
UK professor faces backlash for justifying stabbing of Jews in Golders Green
David Andress, a professor of modern history at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom, is facing backlash and public calls for his firing after a post in which he justified the stabbing of two Jews in Golders Green on Wednesday.
“Blowback is bad, but it is also inevitable,” he wrote. “As is the fact, it will primarily hurt the innocent.”
“A world where Western powers and their allies can simultaneously do anything they feel like to others and face no consequences for their own populations does not exist,” he wrote.
Patrick McGhee, an honorary fellow at Durham University, said this reflects a pattern of antisemitism in universities. “This is the very sickness we witnessed after Oct. 7,” he said. “Academics who excuse or rationalize the barbarity of that awful day as an act of so-called ‘decolonization’ are guilty of utter moral and intellectual failure. The same is true here. We must rid academia of antisemitism.”
Andress has a history of anti-Israel rhetoric, including alleging in 2024 that the Israeli government allowed the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, to happen.
Calls for the university to fire him circulated on social media. JNS sought comment from the school.
In 2023, the university investigated and suspended a professor, Amira Abdelhamid, for justifying Oct. 7 as a “legitimate struggle” and referred her to prosecutors. U.K. prosecutors dropped the case against him in 2024.
“Blowback is bad, but it is also inevitable,” he wrote. “As is the fact, it will primarily hurt the innocent.”
“A world where Western powers and their allies can simultaneously do anything they feel like to others and face no consequences for their own populations does not exist,” he wrote.
Patrick McGhee, an honorary fellow at Durham University, said this reflects a pattern of antisemitism in universities. “This is the very sickness we witnessed after Oct. 7,” he said. “Academics who excuse or rationalize the barbarity of that awful day as an act of so-called ‘decolonization’ are guilty of utter moral and intellectual failure. The same is true here. We must rid academia of antisemitism.”
Andress has a history of anti-Israel rhetoric, including alleging in 2024 that the Israeli government allowed the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, to happen.
Calls for the university to fire him circulated on social media. JNS sought comment from the school.
In 2023, the university investigated and suspended a professor, Amira Abdelhamid, for justifying Oct. 7 as a “legitimate struggle” and referred her to prosecutors. U.K. prosecutors dropped the case against him in 2024.
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