Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Lufthansa Fined $4 Million Over Alleged Discrimination of Jewish Passengers
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a $4 million penalty on Tuesday against Lufthansa for discriminating against Jewish passengers who were traveling from New York City through Frankfurt to Budapest in May 2022.
The penalty is the largest ever issued by the DOT against an airline for civil rights violations.
A news release from the DOT stated that Lufthansa prohibited 128 Jewish passengers from boarding their connecting flight in Germany after alleged misconduct of some passengers. The release stated that most of the Jewish passengers were wearing distinctive garb typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men, and many of the passengers did not know each other nor were traveling together.
These passengers stated that Lufthansa treated them all as if they were a single group and denied them boarding for the alleged misbehavior of a few. The DOT received over 40 discrimination complaints from the Jewish passengers.
"No one should face discrimination when they travel, and today's action sends a clear message to the airline industry that we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers' civil rights are violated," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in the release. "From cracking down on long tarmac delays to ensuring passengers are properly refunded, our department has strengthened our enforcement efforts to hold airlines accountable for their treatment of passengers, and we will continue to push the industry to serve passengers with the fairness and dignity they deserve."
Investigations by the DOT found that during the first flight, the captain alerted Lufthansa security that some passengers were not following crew instructions and were connecting to another flight in Budapest. The release stated that the carrier later failed to identify any one passenger who failed to follow crewmember instructions.
The alert to security resulted in a hold being placed on over 100 passengers' tickets – all of which were Jewish. These passengers then couldn't board their next scheduled flight from Frankfurt to Budapest.
According to the DOT's consent order, Lufthansa stated that a large number of the passengers aboard the flight arriving at Frankfurt repeatedly disregarded crew instructions to wear face masks, which at the time was mandated under German law due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Additionally, Lufthansa stated that passengers were requested to avoid gathering in the aisles, galleys, and near emergency exit doors, as is required under U.S. and German law.
"Lufthansa steadfastly maintains that the actions of the crew of LH 401 were taken in the interest of safety and security," the consent order stated. "Lufthansa states that the crew of LH 401 did not discriminate against any passenger on the basis of perceived religion or ethnicity or manifest any intentional malice or ill intent toward any passenger. Lufthansa notes that certain flight attendants on LH401 permitted and facilitated praying by small gatherings of passengers during the flight, which the carrier asserts underscores the Lufthansa crew's lack of any discriminatory feelings or actions toward any of the passengers."
According to the consent order, $2 million of the $4 million penalty will be due within 30 days of the order. The remaining $2 million is being credited for compensation Lufthansa paid to the affected passengers.
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Monday, October 14, 2024
Anti-Israel protesters arrested after storming New York Stock Exchange
Dozens of Jewish anti-Israel protesters were arrested Monday after hundreds of rowdy demonstrators rushed the New York Stock Exchange and staged a sit-in outside the historic Manhattan building.
Scores of pro-Palestinian protesters wearing red shirts stormed toward the building on Broad Street in Lower Manhattan — then chained themselves to the doors just before the stock market's opening bell at 9:30 a.m., footage shows.
A handful of demonstrators, who hail from the Jewish Voices for Peace group, could be seen removing their jackets as they set up shop outside the building — jackets they wore in a possible bid to conceal their anti-Israel attire and thwart any attempt to stop them ahead of time.
The group immediately started screaming "Free Palestine" and quickly brandished signs reading "Jews for Palestine's freedom" as they blocked off the building and demanded the US government "fund FEMA, not genocide."
At one point, they dressed the iconic bronze Fearless Girl statue in one of their shirts emblazoned with the phrase "Stop arming Israel."
Roughly 200 protesters were nabbed by cops, the group's political director, Beth Miller, told The Post.
The NYPD confirmed that arrests were made amid the chaos, but the exact number wasn't immediately available.
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Friday, October 11, 2024
Armed guards at synagogues, security forces on high alert on Yom Kippur
Synagogues in major cities and susceptible areas will be under armed guard on Yom Kippur amid concerns that terrorists will try to launch attacks on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Police deployment was already spread to major highways and city centers with special attention placed on mixed Jewish and Arab cities where tensions have traditionally been high during the holiday.
Synagogues were asked to place an armed guard outside their door and leave a phone available to call for help if the need arises.
Jerusalem police will be on high alert around the city and at the Western Wall, to bolster the sense of security for Jewish worshipers. Checkpoints will also be set up leading to the holy site for increased security and to prevent overcrowding.
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Tuesday, October 08, 2024
Interior Minister responds to Breslov hasidim stranded abroad
Due to the chaos at the borders of Ukraine and Romania, which has caused thousands of Breslov hasidim to be unable to return home to Israel, representatives for the Breslov community have turned to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel (Shas) for assistance.
In their request, the hasidim noted the chaos and the overcrowding which travelers faced in their attempts to return to Israel following their Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) pilgrimage to Uman, Ukraine.
Responding to one of the requests, Arbel answered that he has no way to help them, since, "Israel is at war."
"We are at war right now, and there was a travel warning," he wrote. "Whoever decided to travel anyway should take into account the risks which come with it."
"I am sorry. I do not have any way to help," he apologized. The government issued clear warnings to Israeli citizens not to travel to Uman for the holidays this year.
According to sources in the community, many people are forced to wait in inclement weather, without proper shelter.
A senior source in United Breslov said, "The Ukrainians have created an electronic line and they only accept those who booked an appointment ahead of time. And sometimes there are no open appointments for the border for many hours ahead. It creates insane chaos."
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Wednesday, October 02, 2024
Gerrer hasidim to hold Rosh Hashanah events as usual after Home Front restrictions removed
The Gur hasidic sect on Wednesday morning announced that the traditional "travel" for the Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) holiday will take place as usual this year, in light of the Home Front Command's new guidelines.
Just after midnight Wednesday morning, the IDF's Home Front Command announced that restrictions imposed on Jerusalem and central Israel on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00p.m. would be removed. The restrictions, which led to the cancellation of the central Selichot prayer gathering at the Western Wall, included a limit on gatherings of more than 30 people outdoors and more than 300 people indoors.
The limits forced Jews around Israel to rethink their plans for Rosh Hashanah, especially if the plans included large gatherings, as is customary in many hasidic courts.
"Upon removal of the Home Front Command restrictions, an announcement was made this morning by the Gerrer hasidic court to hold the events as usual," a Gur statement read.
Rabbi Yosef Schiff, aide to the Gerrer Rebbe, who on Tuesday night ordered hasidim to return home due to the security threats, on Wednesday morning reported that the decision had changed in light of recent developments.
Alongside the Gerrer hasidim, thousands of families from other hasidic courts around Israel are expected to travel to Jerusalem and Bnei Brak on Wednesday, in order to celebrate the holiday with their rebbe (hasidic leader) and fellow hasidim.
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Tuesday, October 01, 2024
President cancels Rosh Hashanah call with US Jewish community
U.S. President Joe Biden canceled a planned Rosh Hashanah call with the Jewish community that had been scheduled for 1:15 pm Eastern Standard Time. Earlier in the day, the U.S. administration had previously warned its employees in Israel to return to their homes and warned of an imminent attack on the Jewish state.
Posting on X at 12:40 this afternoon, the president wrote, "This morning, @VP and I convened our national security team to discuss Iranian plans to launch an imminent missile attack against Israel. We discussed how the United States is prepared to help Israel defend against these attacks, and protect American personnel in the region."
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on X that he had spoken with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about the then-pending Iranian attack and "the severe consequences for Iran in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel."
U.S. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) posted on X, "Iran is launching missiles against Israel. Israel has an unquestionable right to defend itself against all forms of Iranian aggression. The United States should, must and will stand with the Jewish State as it defends itself from the root of all evil in the Middle East—the Islamic Republic of Iran. I stand with Israel. Always have and always will. #AmYisraslChai."
"This is a moment of choosing for the free world regarding Iran, said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on X. "The Ayatollah [Ali Khamenei] and Iranian regime are religious Nazis who want to destroy the State of Israel—their words, not mine. They want to purify Islam and attack the United States—again, their words, not mine.
"This missile attack against Israel should be the breaking point, and I would urge the Biden administration to coordinate an overwhelming response with Israel, starting with Iran's ability to refine oil," Graham said. "These oil refineries need to be hit and hit hard because that is the source of cash for the regime to perpetrate their terror. My prayers are with the people of Israel, and may God continue to bless Israel."
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Monday, September 30, 2024
The Hasid’s triumphant blow
There's an ancient Jewish custom of charity collectors coming to synagogue during the weekday morning prayers, and a slightly less ancient Ashkenazic Jewish tradition of blowing the shofar each day following those prayers in the month of Elul — the four weeks leading up to Rosh Hashanah.
Recently at one such service in Jerusalem, a stout reddish, grayish Hasidic schnorrer (donation collector) entered a nondescript synagogue basement sanctuary where about 30 men were in the middle of their morning prayers. Sometimes, schnorrers like this one will approach people mid-prayer, asking for a few shekels to help a poor family with many children or an ill parent. Other times, they will respectfully, yet impatiently wait until the end of davening in order to get everyone's attention at once, hopefully benefitting from their largesse, as well.
This particular Hasid generally fit into the second of those categories. As the end of prayers neared, seeing an unmanned shofar on the lectern in the middle of the room, this particular Hasid made an ambitiously instinctive decision: He would be the one to blow the shofar at the end of prayers.
It was as if God himself had placed the shofar there — A blessed opportunity to get everybody's attention all at once and collect a bounty for hungry children dependent on the generosity of the men in that room.
He began to wander over to it. As prayers concluded, the zaftig little man with twinkly optimism in his eyes triumphantly raised the ram's horn, tilted his head to the heavens, placed the shofar at his lips and began to blow.
The sound that came out was reminiscent of a moribund goat trying to blow a shofar with its last dying breath.
It was as if the Hasid had never even seen a shofar before, let alone tried to blow one.
In his defense, even experienced blowers sometimes experience a showing such as this – if, for example, they're not used to that particular horn, or forgot to ensure that the pipe was clear.
It seems, however, that this particular Hasid was not that type of shofar blower.
This particular Hasid, it seems, was just a really bad shofar blower.
God bless him, this particular Hasid kept trying.
Whether it was 30 seconds, a minute or two, he really gave it a shot.
Ultimately, the shot didn't work and someone else from the crowd came to salvage the blow.
The Hasid's tilted head fell downward. He dejectedly shook his shoulders and smiled a bit, accepting the fact that he had given it a shot and, for some reason, it hadn't worked out.
From me, and perhaps some others, that particular Hasidic's act elicited a kind of strange, curious respect.
It also raised a lot of questions.
Had he ever blown a shofar before?
Did he anticipate being able to deliver a true, triumphant blow?
Days later, still pondering the incident, I wondered if perhaps it had all been intentional in the first place. After all, a performance like that actually probably drew more attention than if his shofar blowing had been up to par.
Nonetheless, despite the bizarre absurdity of the event, I ultimately realized that — like many unexpected places in life — perhaps we all actually have a lot to learn from this particular Hasid, especially as we approach the New Year.
Maybe this particular Hasid had come to that particular synagogue that particular Elul morning to teach us about taking chances.
Embracing the potential to fail.
Not fearing embarrassment.
Getting over ourselves.
Aiming high, even if we know deep down that we have no clue how to actually get there.
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Friday, September 27, 2024
Argentina Judge Orders Dictionary To Delete Pejorative Definition Of 'Jewish'
An Argentine judge has ordered the publishers of a major Spanish dictionary to remove a pejorative definition of the word "Jewish" from its listing, local media reported late Thursday.
The fifth and last definition of the word "Jewish" in the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, which is published by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), is of a person said to be "greedy or usurious".
The dictionary cautions that this usage is "offensive or discriminatory".
The other four definitions are "Hebrew", a person "who professes Judaism," a "native of Judea, a country in Asia Minor" and "belonging or relating to Judea or the Jews."
Judge Ariel Lijo ordered the academy to "immediately remove the fifth definition of the word 'Jewish' for representing hate speech and incitement to discrimination on religious grounds," according to a ruling cited by the Infobae news portal.
He also ordered that the link to the word on the dictionary's website be blocked in Argentina until it complied with the request.
It was possible to still access it on Friday morning, however.
The ruling stemmed from a complaint filed on August 28 by the heads of the Latin American Jewish Congress and the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations against the RAE and its director, Santiago Munoz Machado, Infobae said.
The complaint cited a law banning the "justification or promotion of racial or religious discrimination in any form," a crime punishable by up to three years in prison.
Jewish groups and rights groups have asked the RAE twice to remove the definition, but Munoz Machado refused, while agreeing to add the stipulation that the fifth definition given for Jewish is "offensive of discriminatory", according to Infobae.
Lijo ruled that RAE's response was "unacceptable."
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Thursday, September 26, 2024
There's a 'tsunami' of antisemitism in Germany, officials say
In a piercing warning, Dr. Felix Klein, Germany's Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism, has sounded the alarm on the disturbing rise of antisemitism in Germany. In an interview with a French news agency, Klein described the current wave of antisemitic sentiment as a "tsunami," noting a surge in open and aggressive hostility toward Jews since October 7.
Klein asserted that the atrocities committed on October 7 shattered the already fragile barriers against antisemitism in German society. He cited a staggering 5,000 antisemitic crimes in Germany for 2023, more than half occurring after October 7. The absurdity of the situation deeply troubles him: "Hamas murdered more Jews than any event since the Holocaust," Klein remarked, "yet the German public has not shown the solidarity with the Jewish community that I would have expected. We are now witnessing antisemitism in Germany in its most severe form since 1945."
He noted the rise in antisemitism predates both Israel's response and the subsequent conflict in Gaza. However, he emphasized, "Antisemitism has nothing to do with Israel's actions or policies, nor with the Jewish community in Germany. Thus, German citizens must not contribute to the existing antisemitic pressures by blaming German Jews for events in the Middle East. Antisemitism, like any form of discrimination, is a poison for our social unity."
Although there hasn't been an increase in the number of Jews leaving Germany, and many still trust the country's ability to protect them, the rise in crimes against Jews has led many to conceal their identity and refrain from reporting attacks. Antisemitic crimes, primarily committed by men from Muslim countries, have increased since the refugee influx in 2015. Post-October 7, this has escalated into a tsunami, manifesting in demonstrations by the Muslim population in many major German cities.
According to Klein, "All taboos related to antisemitism were broken after October 7, making it entirely acceptable for parts of the population. The determination, nature, and dimensions of this antisemitism are truly dramatic. Due to political developments, people find fertile ground to openly express what they previously kept to themselves."
Klein warns that antisemitism has spread from the far-right to the far-left and radical Islam, and it now permeates the center of German society. "We are turning a blind eye to the fact that the Israeli conflict is against a terrorist organization that disregards democracy and international law."
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Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Breslov hasidim hit by mass cancellations of flights to Uman
Hundreds of Breslov hasidim planning to travel to Uman, Ukraine, ahead of the Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) holiday on Monday night received notices that their flights had been canceled.
Many of these hasidim, who had relied on the low-cost Wizz Air airline, found themselves without plane tickets after the airline announced that it would cease flights to Israel following the recent escalation of tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group.
Among the companies announcing cancellations are Wizz Air, British Airways, Iberia, and Azerbaijan Airlines.
Sources in the Breslov community have reported that the mass cancellations created significant pressure among the hasidim to find alternative flight options. The situation is made worse by the fact that most other flights to Uman for those dates are already filled to capacity.
"This creates a situation of great uncertainty," one of the hasidim told Arutz Sheva - Israel National News. "Many of us planned this trip months ahead of time, and now we are forced to seek solutions at the last minute."
Rosh Hashanah this year begins on the evening of Wednesday, October 2, and ends after nightfall on Friday, October 4.
Sources in the aviation industry noted that the high demand for flights to Uman during this period of the year makes it difficult to find immediate solutions.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Breslov community are working with the airlines and travel agents to find solutions for those hasidim whose flights were canceled.
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Monday, September 23, 2024
More than 1500 Hasidic pilgrims have already arrived in Uman Source: https://censor.net/en/n3511362
More than 1,500 Hasidic pilgrims have already arrived in Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
This was announced by the head of the Cherkasy Regional Administration Ihor Taburets, Censor.NET reports.
"Uman. As of today, a special regime of entry/exit and movement around the city has been introduced. In fact, the control procedures are the same as last year. We have slightly strengthened our technical capabilities. Our security and defence forces are working in an enhanced mode. Despite the warnings, we have already received more than 1,500 pilgrims," he said. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3511362
Taburets stressed that the whole range of measures being implemented is for the safety of local residents and visitors.
"Despite the warnings, today we have more than 1,500 pilgrims," Taburets added.
To recap, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on Hasidim to refuse to come to Uman, Cherkasy region, to celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, in 2024. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3511362
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Friday, September 20, 2024
In place of a proud emblem of Jewish immigration in NYC, million-dollar condos and a private garden
When the Bialystoker Center and Home for the Aged opened on Manhattan's Lower East Side on June 21, 1931, more than 25,000 Eastern European Jews came out to celebrate. The distinctive Art Deco tower that rose from the tenements of East Broadway was a glimmer of hope during the depths of the Great Depression. The dedication 25 years after a pogrom that claimed the lives of more than 80 Jews in the Polish city of Bialystok highlighted how far the immigrant community had come.
This October, the building, which closed its doors in 2011 and relocated its last senior residents, will reopen. The tower's landmarked two-toned tan facade designed by the architect Harry Hurwit has been restored. As has the faux-Hebrew inscription of "Bialystoker" surrounded by roundels of the 12 tribes of Israel above the entrance. Inside, the stained glass windows in what was the retirement home's synagogue glow anew.
But this time around, there will be no parades, no congratulatory telegrams from the governor's mansion, and no ceremonial golden mezuzah installation.
The building that for decades housed Jewish and other seniors and served as a center for the Bialystok Jewish diaspora has been gutted, refilled with loft-like apartments, a pool, gym and communal spaces. It's connected to a private park and a new 28-story tower in a 70 apartment project called 222 LES Tower + Lofts.
The community has resisted each step of the development since the nursing home closed. Organizers won landmark preservation for the building and blocked an attempt to build a second tall tower, but gentrification pressed on. Along with this publication's former headquarters, the Forward Building which became condos in 2006, and the nearby Jarmoulowsky Bank Building which opened in 2022 as a boutique hotel, it is another example of a working-class Jewish Lower East Side institution that served the public turning luxurious and exclusive.
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Thursday, September 19, 2024
Potential Trump visit to iconic Gottlieb’s deli has Hasidic world aflutter
When the U.S. Secret Service scoped out Gottlieb's deli, a kosher spot in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, this week, word spread through Hasidic Brooklyn faster than flanken falling off the bone.
"The excitement in Williamsburg is palpable," reported Matzav.com, an Orthodox news site. Hasidic WhatsApp is crackling with speculation.
The rumor mill was predicting that former President Donald Trump, who is making a rare campaign visit to the New York area Wednesday, might visit Gottlieb's on Thursday. Some reports said the protected visitor might be Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican nominee for vice president. Gottlieb's owner isn't sure, but talks as if it might be the guy at the top of the ticket.
And that he will likely nosh.
"Trump, I imagine, will order something to eat, will possibly eat here, meet and greet people, but I'm not sure how," the deli's owner, Menashe Gottlieb, told a reporter outside his restaurant Tuesday, speaking in Yiddish.
Gottlieb said the Secret Service had on Sunday and Monday visited the restaurant, which was founded 65 years ago by his grandfather, Zoltan Gottlieb, a Holocaust survivor.
Corned beef and cholent
Wood-paneled Gottlieb's evokes an earlier era of Yiddishkeit, with its retro sign and hot dogs rolling on the grill. "As old school as you can get," wrote one Facebook fan.
It's a particularly popular hangout for Jews of the Satmar sect, one of the most insulated of Hasidic groups.
But Gottlieb's, which seats about 50, welcomes outsiders, too. Yelp is full of reviews from tourists praising its heavy Ashkenazi specialties: pastrami sandwiches, cholent, fried onions, matzo ball soup and five kinds of kugel. Non-Hasidic tour guides regularly bring their clients for a meal at Gottlieb's, which is Glatt kosher, which literally means it uses a specific kind of kosher meat but is generally used to imply "strictly kosher."
"Had a taste for a corned beef sandwich," wrote one Gottlieb's customer, who gave it five stars. "The quintessential Brooklyn deli experience."
That quintessential-ness makes Gottlieb's an attractive spot for politicians trying to court the Jewish vote.
Though Trump is not popular among New Yorkers overall, and the majority of Jewish Americans did not vote for him in 2020 or 2016, he has the support of many Orthodox Jews.
Why would Trump go to Gottlieb's?, the Yiddish-speaking reporter asked its owner.
"Gottlieb's is Gottlieb's," said Gottlieb, who was told by the Secret Service to pay close attention to his phone in the coming days.
In the meantime, he said, "officially we're open for customers."
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Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Montgomery's Only Jewish Cop Claims He Was Passed Over For Promotions: Lawsuit
A cop, who says he is Montgomery's only Jewish police officer ever hired, has filed a lawsuit against the Township and a superior officer claiming he was passed over multiple times for promotions.
Jason Clifford, who has been serving as a Patrol Officer for the past 20 years, filed the lawsuit in Somerset County Superior Court last week.
The lawsuit alleges Clifford's professional and personal reputation was unspoiled, pristine, second-to-none, and virtually unblemished.
"In short, law enforcement officers do not come any better – Clifford was and remains the model and quintessential law enforcement officer," according to the lawsuit.
Despite, Clifford's professional record he claims he "was unlawfully bypassed for a promotion in 2014, 2017, and 2024."
Clifford also alleges that while at a BBQ on May 8, Sergeant Ryan Gray while chuckling, made ethnically improper, inappropriate, unwarranted, and bizarre comments to Clifford, such as "is that meat kosher" and "will you be drinking Manischewitz when you go home tonight?"
Gray's comments were made in front of other Montgomery Police officers, said Clifford.
"Gray's racist and prejudicial comments were made by him with the express intent to humiliate, denigrate, and belittle Clifford in the eyes of other officers," according to the lawsuit.
As a result, Clifford reported Gray's comments which prompted an investigation by Internal Affairs.
Around the time of the investigation, Clifford said he was a candidate for a newly announced Montgomery Police Sergeant promotional process.
However, the lawsuit alleges that because Clifford reported Gray's "racist and prejudicial comments, Clifford was once again wrongfully bypassed for the MPD Sergeant position – this being the third promotional bypass."
Clifford alleges that because of the retaliation taken against him, "Clifford was forced by Montgomery's misconduct to endure severe, continuous, and pervasive humiliation, embarrassment, harassment, and abuse such that a reasonable person in his circumstance would believe the conditions of employment had been altered and the environment was hostile and abusive, and which no such reasonable person could be expected to endure."
Montgomery Township did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.
The lawsuit claims Clifford was caused to suffer, and has continued to suffer, undue stress and injury as well as substantial economic and financial loss relating from his promotional bypasses.
As a result, Clifford is seeking a judgment in an amount to be determined at trial, including an award of compensatory and consequential damages, all remedies, punitive damages, and attorney fees.
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Monday, September 16, 2024
Jewish reggae star Matisyahu reflects on tumultuous year, says anti-Israel protesters attracted to ‘darkness’ of Hamas
After being thrown out of festivals, dropped by his manager and railed against by anti-Israel mobs, reggae star Matisyahu says the backlash over his support for the Jewish state hasn't slowed him down at all.
In fact, the 45-year-old Jewish performer says he's "busier than ever."
"The Jewish community has been really appreciative and I've felt inspired by it," the pop star, whose birth name is Matthew Miller, told The Post on the deck of his rustic upstate New York home overlooking the Hudson River.
Matisyahu admitted it hasn't been all peaches and cream — he's had concerts in Arizona, New Mexico and Chicago canceled after anti-Israel demonstrators threatened to picket the venues.
He was also dropped by his manager after he refused to change the lyrics to his song "Ascent," which contains phrases about dancing on Hamas terrorists' graves.
"We're living in a time where I have to make decisions, like 'do I need to bring security'. … It's a dangerous place but luckily for me it's been a smooth run," he said.
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Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Jewish education thriving in Florida thanks to school choice law
Jewish K-12 education is booming in Florida, and researchers credit the growth to the state's universal school choice.
Teach Coalition, an advocate for Jewish education, and Step Up For Students, a Florida-based education group, have released a new report detailing the promising enrollment trends in Jewish schools.
It found Florida's Jewish schools increased their enrollment by 58% between 2007 and 2023. Roughly four new schools have opened every year on average for the past decade.
The massive influx is credited both to the COVID pandemic that inspired increased migration to Florida – particularly from New York – and the fact that Florida now offers generous school choice scholarships to all students.
According to the report, 60% of Jewish school students received a scholarship in the 2022-23 academic year.
The universal school choice program currently serves 136,000 students statewide.
Notably, Jewish enrollment grew most at yeshiva schools (175%), which are Orthodox and gender-segregated, as opposed to coeducational Orthodox (65%) and Non-Orthodox (21%) schools.
Although some have criticized the yeshiva school model for de-emphasizing secular topics, proponents defend their academic rigor, saying the benefits of such schools are "extraordinary."
However, private school growth also comes with challenges.
"With Florida's existing Jewish schools at or near full capacity, more effort is needed to source suitably sized school buildings," said Danny Aqua, special projects director for Teach Coalition. "Without legislative and regulatory action to reduce the hurdles to opening new schools, the lack of school building space may throttle growth in Florida's Jewish day schools."
Meanwhile, the growth isn't confined to the Sunshine State.
Recent surveys conducted by Prizmah, another Jewish education group, found Jewish schools across North America were increasing enrollment after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel. More than 90% of the surveyed schools reported receiving new enrollment inquiries, with 80% bringing in new students mid-year.
Parents of students who transferred from a public school said they wanted their children to be in a Jewish environment (73%) and they feared antisemitism in their prior school or community (68%).
Parents from independent schools similarly valued the Jewish environment (80%) and weren't satisfied with their prior school's response to the war (50%).
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Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Moldova has not allowed Hasidim to travel to Ukraine via Moldovan territory
After several months of negotiations, the Moldovan authorities did not allow Israeli pilgrims to travel to Ukraine via Moldova to celebrate the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah.
This was reported to the publication "Interfax-Ukraine" by Levi Yitzhak Gvirtz from the organization "Ihud Breslev" in Uman.
According to him, Chisinau's refusal will affect approximately 15 thousand passengers on charter flights, about half of the 30 thousand pilgrims who would like to go to Uman this year.
At the same time, Israeli travel companies have already begun procedures for refunding tickets for those who planned to fly to Chisinau and then go to Uman. However, it is still possible to organize trips to Ukraine through the airports of Romania and Poland.
Journalists recalled that at the end of August, Israeli media reported that Israel was ready to pay Moldova 700 thousand shekels ($191,300) to compensate for the costs of additional security measures and enhanced security at the Chisinau airport in connection with the arrival of pilgrims in 2023 and to obtain Chisinau's consent for the passage of pilgrims through its territory this year. At the same time, Israel failed to pay Moldova these expenses on time.
Every year, tens of thousands of Jews who profess Hasidism make a pilgrimage to Uman, where the grave of the founder of Bratslav Hasidism, Tzadik Nachman, is located. The pilgrimage is timed to coincide with the celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, which this year is celebrated from October 2 to 4.
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Monday, September 09, 2024
London launches bus line to reassure Orthodox Jews
Excited children ran to check the bus schedule. "It'll be here in 23 minutes," they told their mother in Yiddish. The family, part of the Hasidic Jewish community, eagerly awaited the new 310 bus. On September 1, Transport for London (TfL) introduced this line, fulfilling years of requests for a direct route between Stamford Hill and Golders Green.
Golders Green, along with Finchley and Hampstead, is home to a well-established, affluent Jewish community. In contrast, Stamford Hill, located in Hackney, is a poorer area known for its large Orthodox Hasidic population.
The 310 bus is not exclusive to the Jewish community, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan acknowledged that the line was created with them in mind. The mayor, of Pakistani Muslim origin, shared that he was deeply impacted by conversations with Jewish families who expressed fear over the surge in antisemitic incidents since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacks reignited tensions.
Antisemitic crimes in London skyrocketed following the October 7 massacres carried out by Hamas. Between October and December 2023, Scotland Yard reported 1,156 incidents, a staggering 1,000% increase compared to the same period in 2022. Though the number has since slowed, 998 incidents were recorded between January and August 2024, compared to 424 during the same months in 2023.
Further reading: Rabbis urge European leaders to halt new wave of antisemitism
Mayor Khan noted that some Jewish families shared their fear of verbal abuse while transferring between buses at Finsbury Park, an area with a large Muslim population. Finsbury Park, once associated with radical Islamist preaching, has since undergone significant reform, with authorities praising its efforts to engage with other local communities.
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Thursday, September 05, 2024
Jewish CUNY students berated by masked anti-Israel protesters who blocked entrance of kosher deli, hurled racist remarks at them
A group of Jewish students from CUNY's City College were berated and told to "go back to Brooklyn" by anti-Israel protesters outside a kosher deli in Midtown South.
Moti Zilber, the owner of the Mr. Broadway Deli on West 38th Street, said the Jewish students were enjoying their meal Tuesday morning when the protesters descended upon the restaurant, blocking the entrance and shouting vulgarities at them.
"It was very scary," Zilber told The Post. "It feels like we're in Germany over here."
Clips of the protest, uploaded by the Safe Campus Jewish advocacy group, show the masked demonstrators marching up and down in front of the restaurant as they chanted antisemitic slogans at the students.
"Back to Brooklyn, out the Middle East," the protesters could be heard yelling, stereotyping the students while referencing the war in Gaza.
Zilber said the protesters also shouted other antisemitic phrases at the students, including "From the river to the sea."
"They yelled all kinds of racist things at the students," Zilber said. "These were young, violent kids who you can't even talk to."
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Wednesday, September 04, 2024
Businessman loses a quarter billion Dollars at Rebbe's request
Last Friday the Satmar Hasidic sect celebrated 45 years since the passing of the Grand Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum.
As part of the anniversary ceremony held by the Satmar Rebbe, with the participation of thousands of Hasidim, the Rebbe spoke about the difficult problem of housing prices in the local community.
In recent years Kiryas Joel, home to many Hasidic in New York, has seen a drastic increase in apartment prices. The price per square meter jumped from $1,800 five years ago to $6,000 today – an increase of about 400 percent
In response, the Rebbe established a special committee in collaboration with the city mayors. About two months ago, a new municipal law was passed limiting apartment prices in new projects to $3,000 per square meter.
However, realizing that the implementation of the law would take time, the Rebbe contacted Hasidic businessman, Akiva Hersh Klein, who is building a new neighborhood of about 2,000 apartments in the city and asked Klein to initiate a process of lowering prices.
In a dramatic announcement, the Rebbe declared that Klein agreed to the request and put 1,000 apartments on the market at a price equal to half the normal market price.
According to estimates, this project may cause Klein a loss of about a quarter of a billion Dollars.
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Tuesday, September 03, 2024
NYC straphanger spews antisemitic rant at Jewish student
A man berated a Jewish student wearing a yarmulke on a New York City subway car, calling him a "rapist" and a "genocider" responsible for the deaths in Gaza, new video shows.
The harrowing encounter, uploaded by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) group on Tuesday, shows the bearded man wearing a black cap and orange long-sleeve shirt yelling across the subway car at the student during a trip on the 1 train near 96th Street.
"He likes to kill Palestinian semites. He probably likes to rape Palestinian semites as well," the man, who has yet to be identified, shouts.
"This is a genocider who loves to kill babies."
The man continues to call the student a "Zionist," a "fake f–king Jew" and the "United States' bully boy," all while a crowd of uninterested commuters watch.
The man could also be heard trying to get the crowd on his side by claiming that the US and Israel want an upheaval in the Gaza Strip, but the commuters ignore him.
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Thursday, August 29, 2024
Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules in favor of Jewish family in free speech dispute over anti-hate signs
A Jewish family had the free-speech right to blanket their yard with signs decrying hate and racism after their next-door neighbor hurled an antisemitic slur at them during a property dispute 10 years ago, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules.
The court decides Simon and Toby Galapo were exercising their rights under the Pennsylvania Constitution when they erected protest signs on their property and pointed them squarely at the neighbor's house in the Philadelphia suburbs — a total of 23 signs over a span of years — with messages such as "Hitler Eichmann Racists," "No Place 4 Racism" and "Woe to the Racists. Woe to the Neighbors."
"All homeowners at one point or another are forced to gaze upon signs they may not like on their neighbors' property — be it ones that champion a political candidate, advocate for a cause, or simply express support or disagreement with some issue," Justice Kevin Dougherty writes for the court's 4-2 majority. He says suppressing such speech would "mark the end to residential expression."
In a dissent, Justice Kevin Brobson says judges have the authority to "enjoin residential speech… that rises to the level of a private nuisance and disrupts the quiet enjoyment of a neighbor's home."
The neighbors' ongoing feud over a property boundary and "landscaping issues" came to a head in November 2014 when a member of the Oberholtzer family directed an antisemitic slur at Simon Galapo, according to court documents. By the following June, the Galapo family had put up what would be the first of numerous signs directed at the Oberholtzer property.
The Oberholtzers filed suit, seeking an order to prohibit their neighbors from erecting signs "containing false, incendiary words, content, innuendo and slander." Simon Galapo testified that he wanted to make a statement about antisemitism and racism, teach his children to fight it, and change his neighbors' behavior.
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Monday, August 12, 2024
Police issue arrest warrants for vandals who targeted Temple Univ. Jewish fraternity house
After several incidents of antisemitic vandalism targeted the off-campus rowhome where members of a Jewish fraternity live, Temple University police have zeroed in on two suspected vandals.
Over the weekend, Temple alerted students that arrest warrants were issued for people wanted with vandalizing the AEPi house.
"The approved felony charges are in connection with incidents that occurred on May 24 and July 27, 2024, at an off-campus row home that houses several Temple student members of AEPi, a national fraternity," Temple said in its new release.
Temple didn't name the people they were looking for.
A previous incident on May 6 2024, where "Free Palestine" was scrawled on the roof of the rowhome continued to be investigated as Temple police had not linked the suspects to that earlier incident.
"We will continue to make one thing abundantly clear: Temple University does not tolerate antisemitic or other hate crimes, including vandalism and damage to property" Temple President Richard Englert and Senior Vice President and Provost Gregory Mandel said in a letter to the Temple community. "Temple unequivocally condemns antisemitism and other acts of hatred, incitement to violence, threats, harassment and discrimination against any person."
Temple had only just alerted students to the July 27 incident on Aug. 2, 2024.
"As you may be aware, in May, two incidents involving trespass and vandalism occurred at an off-campus row home that houses several Temple student members of AEPi, a national fraternity," Englert and Mandel said in their Aug. 2 joint letter. "AEPi identifies as a Jewish fraternity and there was evidence the incidents were motivated by antisemitism."
"Unfortunately, there was another incident this past weekend" the letter from Temple leadership said. "Temple University and Philadelphia police officers were called to the residence again to respond to reports of individuals on the rooftop. Temple's police officers and detectives are actively investigating these incidents as both a criminal and student disciplinary matter."
Temple asked for anyone with information to reach out to Temple police at 215-204-1234.
The vandalism has come in the months after Hamas' deadly terror attack on Israeli citizens launched the war in Gaza. Fallout from the Israel-Hamas war roiled campuses across the United States during the last school year and reignited a debate over free speech versus hate speech and actions.
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Thursday, August 08, 2024
Russia Shielded in Court Fight Over Stolen Religious Texts
A Washington federal appeals court has shielded the Russian government from $175 million in sanctions stemming from long-running litigation by a Hasidic organization over stolen religious texts.
The three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found Tuesday that the Russian Federation is immune from civil suit under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, and that the lower court judge who ordered the penalties never had authority to do so.
The decision thwarts a bid by Agudas Chasidei Chabad, a New York-based Hasidic Jewish organization, to recoup penalties against an American subsidiary of a Russian company.
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Wednesday, August 07, 2024
Baltimore officials investigate suspected arson outside Jewish Museum of Maryland
Federal investigators are teaming up with Baltimore City officials after a suspected arson Sunday night outside the Jewish Museum of Maryland.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and city fire investigators collected evidence on Wednesday that included fire residue and security camera video that captured a single individual setting the fire.
"The fire bureau investigation unit from the Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating the incident; it involved some type of fire of unknown origin," Baltimore City fire Capt. Dennis Dawson said.
A construction worker, who is part of a museum renovation crew, discovered burned material on Monday that had been discarded. The video may provide a key to the investigation.
"It looked like someone pulled up outside the museum Sunday night around 10:30 p.m., put an item out in front of the museum, lit it on fire and took off," said Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council.
While the footprint of the fire is small, the intent is a big concern as museum officials want police to investigate it as a hate crime.
"There is no conceivable way they are not looking at this as a hate crime," Libit said. "It is very clearly a Jewish institution. There's a big sign that says, 'Jewish museum.' It would be very odd for it not to be some relationship … related to antisemitism, anti-Jewish, anti-Israel or something like that."
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Monday, August 05, 2024
Spike in antisemitic hate crimes sparks Jewish community demands for government action
Antisemitic hate crimes have surged across Canada, with new statistics revealing a troubling increase in incidents targeting the Jewish community.
Despite making up less than 1% of Canada's population, Jewish people accounted for 70% of all religiously motivated hate crimes in 2023, according to data released by Statistics Canada on July 31.
The total number of police-reported hate crimes rose from 3,612 incidents in 2022 to 4,777 in 2023, an increase of 32%. The number of hate crimes targeting Jewish people rose from 527 to 900, an increase of 71%. Hate crimes targeting members of any religion grew by 67%.
"Most of the violations typically associated with hate crimes increased, including public incitement of hatred (+65%), uttering threats (+53%), mischief (+34%), and assaults (+20%)," reads the report.
Deborah Lyons, a diplomat and special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism, said that the same week the data were released saw Jewish schools, synagogues, neighbourhoods, and businesses subjected to a wave of antisemitic vandalism.
"Law enforcement must act. The voices of the vast majority of Canadians—including faith, business, and political leaders—need to be heard before it's too late," she said.
According to a 2019 survey, only one in five victims of hate crimes reported the incidents to police.
Between 2022 and 2023, police-reported hate crimes against Muslims increased by 94%, other religions by 37%, and hate crimes against Catholics decreased by 6%.
The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto issued an update on security developments the same day the data were released. The update was issued only 24 hours after the organization's first release, which covered a fire at Leo Baeck Day School.
Hamas' terrorist attack on Oct. 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis, marking the largest assault on Jews since the Holocaust. The attackers brutally killed babies, raped women, burned families alive, and took hundreds of innocent civilians hostage.
Since Oct. 7, the Toronto Police Service has responded to 1,556 suspected hate crime calls, averaging 156 per month. There have been 130 arrests and 314 hate crime related charges issued since Oct. 7.
Of the 273 hate crimes reported in 2024 so far in Toronto, 45% were antisemitic.
"Hate crime occurrences are up 55% over the same period last year," said Chief Myron Demkiw.
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Thursday, August 01, 2024
Jewish man speaks out on feeling 'vilified' after Officeworks staffer refuses service on the grounds of being pro-Palestinian
A Jewish man has spoken out after being refused service by an Officeworks employee, describing the tremendous shock and embarrassment of the incident as he seeks to take legal action.
Footage emerged on Thursday showing the customer attempting to get a page from the Australian Jewish News laminated at an Officeworks store in Elsternwick, Melbourne when the manager of the department refused on the grounds that she was "pro-Palestine".
In an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia, the man who chose to remain anonymous, said he felt "vilified", "discriminated" and embarrassed by the exchange.
He even revealed he was considering moving his family to Israel as a result of the rising antisemitism felt by Jews across the country.
"I'm still vilified and a target for antisemitism," he told Sky News host Sharri Markson.
"I find myself asking my family, is it a matter of when we are not moving to Israel, but not if.
Officeworks is understood to have offered the Jewish customer a $100 voucher and said it would investigate the incident.
Officeworks' managing director Sarah Hunter confirmed in a statement the matter had been taken "extremely seriously" and the stationery chain has "investigated internally and taken the appropriate action to ensure this doesn't take place again".
"We learned of the incident in March 2024. We were deeply disappointed that it occurred and confirm that the customer's job should have been performed by the team member," she said.
"We confirm that we have taken this matter extremely seriously, investigated the matter at the time and took appropriate disciplinary action.
"The views expressed by the team member are not Officeworks' views.
"At Officeworks, we do not discriminate against our customers on the basis of political views, religious beliefs, gender, sexuality or race."
However, the man vehemently refuted the company's claim and said Officeworks had not properly engaged with his complaint.
"Even though they said they're taking this issue seriously, it's clear that they haven't," he said.
"The antisemitic employee is still currently employed, which would make it seem that Officeworks condones her behaviour.
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Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Margaretville man accused of hate crime against Jewish men
A Margaretville man was taken into custody on Tuesday for an alleged hate crime.
On Monday, New York State Troopers from Margaretville and members of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Oneonta responded to a Jewish Synagogue on Main Street in the Village of Fleishmanns.
Following an investigation, it was determined that 20-year-old Joseph VanBlarcom allegedly threw objects and recklessly swerved his car at three Jewish men while yelling bias obscenities.
VanBlarcom was arrested and charged with Reckless Endangerment as a Hate Crime, a Class C Felony and Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, a Misdemeanor.
VanBlarcom was processed and transported to the Delaware County Jail for Centralized Arraignment and Processing.
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Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Court orders UCLA to protect Jewish students
A federal judge has ordered the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to create a plan to protect Jewish students following pro-Palestinian protests that erupted on campus in recent months, the Associated Press reports.
The ruling comes after three Jewish students sued UCLA in June, alleging discrimination amid demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war. Yitzchok Frankel, a UCLA law student, stated in the lawsuit that he declined an invitation from the director of student life to help host a lunch gathering due to safety concerns.
"Under ordinary circumstances, I would have leapt at the chance to participate in this event," Frankel said. "My Jewish identity and religion are integral to who I am, and I believe it is important to mentor incoming students and encourage them to be proud of their Judaism, too."
The lawsuit alleged discrimination during pro-Palestinian protests, which included the establishment of a "Jew-free zone." Frankel argued that UCLA failed to foster a safe environment for Jewish students on campus. The university has been directed to submit a proposed plan by next month, according to AP.
UCLA spokesperson Mary Osako responded to the ruling, stating, "We are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive campus, holding those who engaged in violence accountable, and combatting antisemitism in all forms." Osako added, "We have applied lessons learned from this spring's protests and continue to work to foster a campus culture where everyone feels welcome and free from intimidation, discrimination, and harassment."
The demonstrations at UCLA were part of a broader movement across US campuses protesting the Israel-Hamas war. In May, law enforcement ordered over a thousand protesters to dismantle their encampment as tensions escalated. Counter-demonstrators had attacked the encampment overnight, resulting in at least 15 protesters suffering injuries. Subsequently, in June, dozens of protesters were arrested after attempting to establish a new encampment on campus.
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Monday, July 29, 2024
Chabad of Squirrel Hill, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh office building vandalized
A synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood and the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh's office building were vandalized early Monday morning.
Chabad of Squirrel Hill was defaced with spray paint overnight. Congregants worked to cover the graffiti on the synagogue along Beechwood Boulevard.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh also shared an image on social media of their office building vandalized with spray paint and antisemitic messaging.
The organization released a statement calling on residents to report vandalism or other acts of hate.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is angered and disgusted by the acts of antisemitic graffiti and vandalism on our office building overnight. The incident comes on the heels of a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents following the Hamas terror attacks that killed more than 1,200. The location and nature of the vandalism suggest that the perpetrators were targeting a prominent Jewish organization, to blame Jews for the actions of a foreign government. Chabad of Squirrel Hill and other Squirrel Hill locations experienced similar vandalism overnight. Vandalism targeting Jews is criminal hate speech, pure and simple. While these specific acts do not indicate any increased direct threat to our community, any acts of hate must be reported immediately to ensure coordination among our Jewish institutions and with law enforcement.
Gov. Josh Shapiro posted on his official X account that the Squirrel Hill community "should not need to wake up to antisemitic graffiti in their neighborhood."
Pittsburgh police are investigating the two incidents, saying in a statement to KDKA-TV that detectives are examining the possibility that the two acts are related, but do not have any suspects in custody.
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Thursday, July 25, 2024
NJ man sentenced to 40 years in prison for 2022 spree of violent antisemitic attacks targeting Orthodox community
A New Jersey man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release for a spate of attacks on Orthodox Jewish men in Lakewood, New Jersey in April 2022.
Dion Marsh, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in February to five counts of hate crimes and one count of carjacking. He admitted to "willfully causing bodily injury to five victims, and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to four of them, all because they were Jewish," said a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey. In January, Marsh also pleaded guilty to one state charge of terrorism.
Lakewood is a fast-growing city in central New Jersey with a large haredi Orthodox population, and is home to Beth Medrash Govoha, the largest yeshiva outside of Israel.
"These victims were targeted by Marsh because of the way they were dressed, which is in accordance with their religious beliefs," James E. Dennehy, an FBI special agent in charge in Newark, said in a statement Tuesday. "They have that right in this country."
Marsh had forced an Orthodox man out of his car, assaulting him in the process before taking control of the car and driving it away. Hours later, in another car, Marsh rammed another Orthodox man in an attempt to kill him. About 40 minutes later, he rammed a third visibly Orthodox man. Less than an hour after that, back in the car he stole from the first victim, he rammed a fourth visibly Orthodox man and also stabbed him in the chest. Later that night, Marsh hit another visibly Orthodox pedestrian with the car, breaking several of his bones.
The Secure Community Network, a national Jewish security organization, applauded the efforts of law enforcement agencies to pursue the case, as well as the sentence.
"Jewish people in the United States should not have to fear for their safety simply for living their faith proudly in public," SCN said in a statement. "By imposing a strong sentence, our justice system sends a clear message that hate crimes against the Jewish community will not be tolerated, and that the United States government is making it a priority to ensure our community feels safe engaging in daily life."
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Indiana man sentenced to 2 years in prison for threatening to kill Jewish people
An Indiana man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison, and two years of supervised release, for sending violent anti-Semitic threats to various anti-defamation league offices.
According to the records filed in the case, 67-year-old Andrezj Boryga left voicemails at Anti-Defamation League offices in New York, Texas, Colorado and Nevada.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Boryga used anti-Semitic slurs on eight voicemails as he threatened to assault or kill Jewish people.
According to the DOJ, over the last few months, they have brought charges, obtained plea agreements and obtained sentences for more than 30 defendants for criminal acts "motivated by anti-Semitic hate."
"Hate-fueled threats of violence seek to fracture our society and isolate communities from one another," Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. "This defendant made heinous, repeated violent threats targeting Jewish people and organizations. His actions were not just heinous, they were unlawful. This case represents the latest effort by the Justice Department to combat the disturbing increase in threats against Jews and Jewish institutions across the United States that we have seen in the wake of Oct. 7."
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated the case.
"Everyone in our country should be able to sit in safety regardless of how they worship, free from bigoted threats meant to make them afraid," Zachary A. Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said. "This criminal's horrific threats sought to put fear into Jewish communities. Violent antisemitism and bigotry must be given no sanction in this country."
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Monday, July 22, 2024
Course on Hasidic Yiddish at Yiddish Summer Weimar
A highly anticipated intensive two-week course on contemporary Hasidic Yiddish begins on July 22 at the annual festival, Yiddish Summer Weimar, in Weimar, Germany.
Yiddish is a living language that has always had many dialects and varieties. But its rich diversity and contemporary relevance is rarely presented in summer Yiddish language programs, which typically teach only Standard Yiddish. This course will focus on Hasidic Yiddish, the variety that is the daily spoken language of around one million people in the USA, Europe, Israel and around the world. A knowledge of the Yiddish alphabet is required.
The unique teaching team includes both native speakers of Hasidic Yiddish and expert researchers who are members of the innovative Contemporary Hasidic Yiddish group at UCL (University College London). They are Dr. Zoë Belk, Eli Benedict, Mendy Cahan, Kriszta Eszter Szendro und Janina Wurbs.
The class will work with historical Hasidic texts, modern Hasidic literature, nigunim, Hasidic pop music and traditional and contemporary film. Formal language classes will take place in the mornings, with separate sections for beginning, intermediate, and advanced classes. Afternoons will be dedicated to more informal learning in an immersive Yiddish environment.
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Thursday, July 18, 2024
'Nashville has a Nazi problem': Jews face two weeks of neo-Nazi invasion
Neo-Nazis have terrorized Jewish Nashville residents over the last two weeks with a series of marches, physical assaults, and antisemitic pamphlets, Jewish groups, law enforcement, and local politicians have stated, adding to the list of incidents over the year conducted by multiple extremist groups coming from outside the city.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville warned on Facebook on Wednesday that security contacts had informed them that one neo-Nazi group would continue to operate in the Nashville area for several days. Nashville Metropolitan Police Department Chief John Drake said in a Wednesday statement that the group was likely operating out of a short-term rental in Scottsville, Kentucky. Nashville Jewish Federation CEO Rabbi Dan Horowitz said in a Tuesday Nashville City Council meeting that several groups had been visiting Nashville over the year, and two different groups were responsible for actions over the last two weeks.
Drake said officers have been present at neo-Nazi demonstrations to deter confrontations, and called on residents not to engage with the activists, as they were seeking to film such incidents for propaganda.
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Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Alleged neo-Nazi ‘murder cult’ leader accused of plot to poison children
Federal authorities have charged the suspected leader of an Eastern European-based neo-Nazi group with harboring plans to have an associate dress up as Santa Claus and hand out candy laced with poison to Jewish and minority children in New York City.
Michail Chkhikvishvili, a Georgian national in his early 20s who goes by the alias "Commander Butcher," was indicted on four charges, the Justice Department said in a statement on Tuesday, including the transmission of threatening communications and conspiracy to solicit hate crimes and acts of mass violence.
He is alleged to be the leader of a group known as the Maniac Murder Cult, a violent international extremist outfit that prosecutors say "adheres to a neo-Nazi accelerationist ideology and promotes violence and violent acts against racial minorities, the Jewish community and other groups it deems 'undesirables.'"
The group is believed to be based in Russia and Ukraine, with members around the world, including the United States.
It was not immediately clear whether Chkhikvishvili had an attorney.
According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, he was arrested in Moldova on July 6 under an Interpol order after trying to recruit an undercover law enforcement officer to join the group and commit acts of violence, including arson and bombings.
Prosecutors say Chkhikvishvili began plotting in late 2023 to carry out an attack that year in New York City on New Year's Eve. According to the Justice Department statement, "The scheme involved an individual dressing up as Santa Claus and handing out candy laced with poison to racial minorities and children at Jewish schools."
Chkhikvishvili sought to persuade the undercover law enforcement employee posing as a potential recruit to carry out the plan, providing step-by-step instructions and details on how to mix lethal poisons.
In electronic correspondence with the employee, who was not identified in court documents, Chkhikvishvili later suggested carrying out the plan at another time, on "some Jewish holiday" at "Jewish schools full of kids."
When the undercover employee warned that the attack would "bring alot of heat" on the group, Chkhikvishvili responded, "That's what we exactly want." The Georgian national also discussed publishing a video of the planned attack, hoping that it could make the cult "bigger than Al Qaeda."
According to court documents, Chkhikvishvili since 2021 has distributed a manifesto titled the "Hater's Handbook," in which he encourages others to commit acts meant to sow terror — specifically within the United States — and admits to committing such acts himself.
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