Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Guelph Chabad hit with antisemitic graffiti for 2nd time, police hate crime unit investigating
For the second time in the past two weeks, antisemitic graffiti has been scrawled on the window of a Jewish place of worship in Guelph.
The graffiti appears on the window of the Chabad of Guelph near the corner of Gordon Street and College Avenue. It's written in black marker and says, “Zionist dogs … stop killing children … the goyim know.” A smiley face appears under the writing.
The Chabad pop-up was previously vandalized on May 30.
The graffiti appears on the window of the Chabad of Guelph near the corner of Gordon Street and College Avenue. It's written in black marker and says, “Zionist dogs … stop killing children … the goyim know.” A smiley face appears under the writing.
The Chabad pop-up was previously vandalized on May 30.
Police say both incidents are currently under investigation by the Guelph Police Service Hate Crime Investigative Unit. It hasn’t been confirmed if the incidents are connected.
Rabbi Raphi Steiner told CBC News in an emailed statement that it was “disturbing, and clearly some folks are trying to send a message that Jews are not welcome.”
Steiner says educators, community leaders, faith leaders and public institutions must speak clearly and consistently against antisemitism and all forms of hatred.
“From our perspective, antisemitism has become more visible and more normalized than many people would have imagined a few years ago. Incidents like this don’t occur in a vacuum. They happen in an environment where anti-Jewish rhetoric is increasingly tolerated,” said Steiner.
“We won’t be intimidated, we won’t hide our Jewish identity, and we will continue building a welcoming community for everyone.”
Police are urging anyone with information to reach out to the hate crime investigative unit.
Rabbi Raphi Steiner told CBC News in an emailed statement that it was “disturbing, and clearly some folks are trying to send a message that Jews are not welcome.”
Steiner says educators, community leaders, faith leaders and public institutions must speak clearly and consistently against antisemitism and all forms of hatred.
“From our perspective, antisemitism has become more visible and more normalized than many people would have imagined a few years ago. Incidents like this don’t occur in a vacuum. They happen in an environment where anti-Jewish rhetoric is increasingly tolerated,” said Steiner.
“We won’t be intimidated, we won’t hide our Jewish identity, and we will continue building a welcoming community for everyone.”
Police are urging anyone with information to reach out to the hate crime investigative unit.
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Tuesday, June 09, 2026
'Antisemitism in medicine is a patient care crisis,' says AJMA CEO Eveline Shekhman - interview
In the months following October 7, there were increasingly alarming stories from Jewish doctors, nurses, and medical students across the United States. Some described being doxxed, others said they feared speaking up in class or at work, and many felt there was no organization dedicated to representing them within the healthcare system. And so the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA) was founded.
The Jerusalem Post spoke to Eveline Shekhman, AJMA CEO, on Tuesday. Shekhman recently testified before the US House Committee on Education and Workforce that "antisemitism in medicine is, at its core, a patient care crisis" and that patient care is now being affected because of rising Jew hatred.
According to AJMA's research, there are approximately 250,000 Jewish healthcare professionals in the US, including physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, pharmacists, allied health workers, administrators, researchers, and faculty. Jewish Americans represent roughly 14% of all US physicians.
Shekhman told the Post that she founded AJMA in the aftermath of October 7, when she started seeing increasing signs of antisemitism in health care, and realized that there was no organization dedicated to representing Jewish Americans in the healthcare system.
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Monday, June 08, 2026
Only one in 18 antisemitic rail crimes leads to action against offender
Only one in 18 antisemitic crimes reported on Britain’s rail network last year resulted in a charge, caution or other formal outcome, according to figures obtained by The Telegraph.
The figures, covering the year to 30 April 2026, have prompted concern among Jewish organisations amid continuing high levels of antisemitism across the UK.
Data obtained by the newspaper showed there were only 10 arrests linked to antisemitic incidents on the rail network during the same period.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Telegraph: “By not tackling anti-Semitism head-on, you send a message that Jews are fair game.
“Our polling shows that a staggering 70 percent of British Jews would not feel comfortable physically or verbally disclosing their Jewish identity on public transport. BTP must ensure that transport in Britain does not become a no-go zone for Jews.”
The figures come at a time of heightened concern about the safety of British Jews. In April, two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green in an attack being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing. The same month saw a series of suspected arson attacks affecting Jewish-linked sites in north London, including an attempted attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue, a fire at a former Jewish charity building in Hendon and damage to a cabinet beside the Golders Green memorial wall.
Last month, Metropolitan Police figures showed antisemitic hate crimes in London had risen sharply, while the government announced an additional £25 million in security funding for Jewish schools, synagogues and community centres following the Golders Green attack.
Before Hamas’s 7 October 2023 massacre in Israel, around 70 antisemitic incidents were typically reported to British Transport Police each year. The latest figures indicate that number has more than tripled.
Earlier this year, the Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 antisemitic incidents nationwide during 2025, the second-highest annual total ever recorded by the organisation.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, criticised the low number of arrests, telling The Telegraph: “This is an abject failure. Anti-Semitism, often perpetrated by Islamist extremists, is a scourge that leaves our Jewish community feeling unsafe on the streets. Just ten arrests is pathetic.
“When it comes to policing tweets, there is no such reticence. With anti-semitic attacks on the rise, we need better from the police. The Palestine marches, where many people have freely displayed anti-semitic content, have helped to fuel this.”
Responding to the figures, a British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Abuse, intimidation, and violence – especially that which is motivated by hate – will never be tolerated, and we have acted swiftly and decisively when we receive reports of hate crimes on the network.
“The outcome of every investigation depends on several factors, including the available evidence, identification of a suspect or suspects, victim engagement, and whether the legal threshold is met for prosecution.”
The figures, covering the year to 30 April 2026, have prompted concern among Jewish organisations amid continuing high levels of antisemitism across the UK.
Data obtained by the newspaper showed there were only 10 arrests linked to antisemitic incidents on the rail network during the same period.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Telegraph: “By not tackling anti-Semitism head-on, you send a message that Jews are fair game.
“Our polling shows that a staggering 70 percent of British Jews would not feel comfortable physically or verbally disclosing their Jewish identity on public transport. BTP must ensure that transport in Britain does not become a no-go zone for Jews.”
The figures come at a time of heightened concern about the safety of British Jews. In April, two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green in an attack being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing. The same month saw a series of suspected arson attacks affecting Jewish-linked sites in north London, including an attempted attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue, a fire at a former Jewish charity building in Hendon and damage to a cabinet beside the Golders Green memorial wall.
Last month, Metropolitan Police figures showed antisemitic hate crimes in London had risen sharply, while the government announced an additional £25 million in security funding for Jewish schools, synagogues and community centres following the Golders Green attack.
Before Hamas’s 7 October 2023 massacre in Israel, around 70 antisemitic incidents were typically reported to British Transport Police each year. The latest figures indicate that number has more than tripled.
Earlier this year, the Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 antisemitic incidents nationwide during 2025, the second-highest annual total ever recorded by the organisation.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, criticised the low number of arrests, telling The Telegraph: “This is an abject failure. Anti-Semitism, often perpetrated by Islamist extremists, is a scourge that leaves our Jewish community feeling unsafe on the streets. Just ten arrests is pathetic.
“When it comes to policing tweets, there is no such reticence. With anti-semitic attacks on the rise, we need better from the police. The Palestine marches, where many people have freely displayed anti-semitic content, have helped to fuel this.”
Responding to the figures, a British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Abuse, intimidation, and violence – especially that which is motivated by hate – will never be tolerated, and we have acted swiftly and decisively when we receive reports of hate crimes on the network.
“The outcome of every investigation depends on several factors, including the available evidence, identification of a suspect or suspects, victim engagement, and whether the legal threshold is met for prosecution.”
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Friday, June 05, 2026
Jewish woman from Montreal recalls being choked, beaten on New York subway train
A 23-year-old registered nurse and Montreal native says “I now understand that every Jew is a target” after she was choked twice, kicked, thrown to the floor and her hair pulled from her scalp by another passenger while on a subway train Sunday in New York.
The woman recorded the beginning of the assault from her smartphone while riding the C train on the afternoon of May 31. The train was packed with commuters, yet no one intervened initially when a female assailant turned around, cupped her right hand to her mouth and shouted the blood libel: “Jews are eating kids!”
The assailant then leaned toward the nurse — who is of the orthodox Jewish faith — telling her: “You’re a Jew. I smell the kids.”
The crowd let out a collective gasp when the assailant shoved the nurse, prompting some passengers to pull the attacker away from the petite woman. In the video, the assailant seems to be shocked that other passengers would disapprove of her actions.
“It’s okay for her to eat a kid but I can’t choke her down?” she is heard protesting.
The video of the woman’s assault — which was posted on the X social media platform by Combat Antisemitism Movement — has been viewed more than 350,000 times as of Friday morning, was the subject of a New York Post story and has led to a reckoning about the rise of antisemitism in the city that never sleeps.
The woman recorded the beginning of the assault from her smartphone while riding the C train on the afternoon of May 31. The train was packed with commuters, yet no one intervened initially when a female assailant turned around, cupped her right hand to her mouth and shouted the blood libel: “Jews are eating kids!”
The assailant then leaned toward the nurse — who is of the orthodox Jewish faith — telling her: “You’re a Jew. I smell the kids.”
The crowd let out a collective gasp when the assailant shoved the nurse, prompting some passengers to pull the attacker away from the petite woman. In the video, the assailant seems to be shocked that other passengers would disapprove of her actions.
“It’s okay for her to eat a kid but I can’t choke her down?” she is heard protesting.
The video of the woman’s assault — which was posted on the X social media platform by Combat Antisemitism Movement — has been viewed more than 350,000 times as of Friday morning, was the subject of a New York Post story and has led to a reckoning about the rise of antisemitism in the city that never sleeps.
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Thursday, June 04, 2026
This Hasidic Rabbi Was Appointed to the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities
Rabbi Simcha Weinstein knows what it means to be called to something.
As the longtime Chabad emissary (shaliach) at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Weinstein has spent years helping students navigate questions of meaning and purpose. But one of the deepest callings of his life emerged much closer to home.
When one of his sons was diagnosed with autism, Weinstein entered a world he had never expected to navigate: schools, services, and hard questions about whether the systems meant to support families like his would actually be there when needed.
As his son grew older, the supports his family had relied on began to thin just as the challenges became more acute. “When we needed the support the most, that was the moment that there was the least,” he said. For years, he describes himself as a “dad in denial.” But crisis forced a shift. “The moment of dad in denial becomes dadvocate,” he said.
Long before any formal title or appointment, that shift led to a father driving to Albany on behalf of his son, and the many families facing similar challenges. Weinstein began showing up at hearings, giving testimony, and raising concerns about gaps in support, especially for older children and families navigating crises with too few resources. Along the way, he found something else too: other parents carrying burdens much like his own.
He began connecting with grassroots organizers, training as a peer family advocate, and returning again and again to push for better systems. And, as he tells it, he simply kept showing up. “They call Albany… ‘Small-bany,’ and if you keep turning up, I think eventually you become known,” he said. And eventually, he did.
That persistence brought him into conversation with state leaders, and what he expected would be a one-time chance to “unload,” as he put it, became an invitation to help shape the work from within — a path that has now led to his appointment to the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
“I think this has become shlichas,” he said, a divine mission that, in his mind, has become an extension of the religious work he already does fostering Jewish life and meaning for students on campus.
That may be part of what makes his appointment notable beyond disability policy. Weinstein is bringing not only lived experience as a father and advocate into this role, but a worldview shaped by Jewish ideas of responsibility, interdependence, and the refusal to let vulnerable people fall through the cracks.
It also shapes how he understands the broader community this work serves. “The disabled community, if we’re going to talk about historically marginalized communities, it is the largest marginalized community on earth,” he said.
Yet Weinstein is just as animated by the coalitions this work has created across difference. He speaks warmly of a Chinese “dadvocate” in Queens he calls a brother, of colleagues from other communities, and of a shared sense of purpose forged not despite difference, but through it.
“We bring our culture into the room and our values and our tradition,” he said. “We’re also really united by advocacy.”
When asked what Jewish wisdom has sustained him, Weinstein cited a teaching from Midrash: “A twig can easily be broken, but a bundle of twigs are strong.”
He offers the Midrash as advice to overwhelmed parents: there is a community out there for you to connect to and get involved in; you are never alone. Another piece of wisdom he returns to is a reminder from parent to parent that “a diagnosis doesn’t define love.” Taken together, those ideas reflect something essential in how Weinstein approaches this work; through relationship, dignity, and hope.
An emissary through and through, this new position of influence to help enact change for people with developmental disabilities may be the most meaningful expression of his calling yet.
As the longtime Chabad emissary (shaliach) at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Weinstein has spent years helping students navigate questions of meaning and purpose. But one of the deepest callings of his life emerged much closer to home.
When one of his sons was diagnosed with autism, Weinstein entered a world he had never expected to navigate: schools, services, and hard questions about whether the systems meant to support families like his would actually be there when needed.
As his son grew older, the supports his family had relied on began to thin just as the challenges became more acute. “When we needed the support the most, that was the moment that there was the least,” he said. For years, he describes himself as a “dad in denial.” But crisis forced a shift. “The moment of dad in denial becomes dadvocate,” he said.
Long before any formal title or appointment, that shift led to a father driving to Albany on behalf of his son, and the many families facing similar challenges. Weinstein began showing up at hearings, giving testimony, and raising concerns about gaps in support, especially for older children and families navigating crises with too few resources. Along the way, he found something else too: other parents carrying burdens much like his own.
He began connecting with grassroots organizers, training as a peer family advocate, and returning again and again to push for better systems. And, as he tells it, he simply kept showing up. “They call Albany… ‘Small-bany,’ and if you keep turning up, I think eventually you become known,” he said. And eventually, he did.
That persistence brought him into conversation with state leaders, and what he expected would be a one-time chance to “unload,” as he put it, became an invitation to help shape the work from within — a path that has now led to his appointment to the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
“I think this has become shlichas,” he said, a divine mission that, in his mind, has become an extension of the religious work he already does fostering Jewish life and meaning for students on campus.
That may be part of what makes his appointment notable beyond disability policy. Weinstein is bringing not only lived experience as a father and advocate into this role, but a worldview shaped by Jewish ideas of responsibility, interdependence, and the refusal to let vulnerable people fall through the cracks.
It also shapes how he understands the broader community this work serves. “The disabled community, if we’re going to talk about historically marginalized communities, it is the largest marginalized community on earth,” he said.
Yet Weinstein is just as animated by the coalitions this work has created across difference. He speaks warmly of a Chinese “dadvocate” in Queens he calls a brother, of colleagues from other communities, and of a shared sense of purpose forged not despite difference, but through it.
“We bring our culture into the room and our values and our tradition,” he said. “We’re also really united by advocacy.”
When asked what Jewish wisdom has sustained him, Weinstein cited a teaching from Midrash: “A twig can easily be broken, but a bundle of twigs are strong.”
He offers the Midrash as advice to overwhelmed parents: there is a community out there for you to connect to and get involved in; you are never alone. Another piece of wisdom he returns to is a reminder from parent to parent that “a diagnosis doesn’t define love.” Taken together, those ideas reflect something essential in how Weinstein approaches this work; through relationship, dignity, and hope.
An emissary through and through, this new position of influence to help enact change for people with developmental disabilities may be the most meaningful expression of his calling yet.
0 comments
Wednesday, June 03, 2026
Arsonist Targets Golders Green Building in Latest Suspected Antisemitic Attack in London
A suspect deliberately ignited a fire in the communal stairwell of a residential building in London’s Golders Green neighborhood on Tuesday, in what community security group Shomrim was treating as an act of arson on a block inhabited predominantly by Jewish families.
Residents witnessed the individual set the fire and challenged him before he fled the scene. One tenant moved quickly to extinguish the blaze, and no injuries resulted.
The building stands on Bridge Lane, NW11. It is home primarily to Jewish residents, many of them young families.
Shomrim responded to the scene, collected physical evidence believed to belong to the perpetrator, and assisted the Metropolitan Police with a CCTV investigation.
Residents witnessed the individual set the fire and challenged him before he fled the scene. One tenant moved quickly to extinguish the blaze, and no injuries resulted.
The building stands on Bridge Lane, NW11. It is home primarily to Jewish residents, many of them young families.
Shomrim responded to the scene, collected physical evidence believed to belong to the perpetrator, and assisted the Metropolitan Police with a CCTV investigation.
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Monday, June 01, 2026
Jewish leaders say Belgium’s prosecution of circumcision is antisemitic
Dozens of European Jewish leaders, joined by Israeli and American diplomats, decried Antwerp prosecutors who plan to charge two Jewish men with performing illegal circumcisions.
In an open letter on May 26 to European and Belgian officials, 45 communal and religious Jewish leaders accused the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office of “effectively criminalizing the act of circumcision” and infringing on religious freedom.
Earlier in May, Belgian prosecutors announced their recommendation to refer two mohels, or ritual circumcisers, to the criminal court following investigations into alleged illegal circumcisions.
In Belgium, the law requires all circumcisions to be performed by licensed medical professionals. The two men would be charged with intentional assault or battery against minors and the unlawful practice of medicine.
In an open letter on May 26 to European and Belgian officials, 45 communal and religious Jewish leaders accused the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office of “effectively criminalizing the act of circumcision” and infringing on religious freedom.
Earlier in May, Belgian prosecutors announced their recommendation to refer two mohels, or ritual circumcisers, to the criminal court following investigations into alleged illegal circumcisions.
In Belgium, the law requires all circumcisions to be performed by licensed medical professionals. The two men would be charged with intentional assault or battery against minors and the unlawful practice of medicine.
The European Jewish leaders responded that prosecuting mohels was “antisemitic in nature, reminiscent of efforts taken in Europe against Jewish practice prior to the Second World War.”
They said the potential prosecutions sent a message that “Jews are no longer welcome in Belgium” and “Belgian Jews are now second class citizens with limited rights.” Their appeal was led by the chairman of the European Jewish Association, Rabbi Menachem Margolin.
Israeli and U.S. officials have also accused Belgium of targeting Jews for practicing their faith.
Gideon Saar, Israel’s minister of foreign affairs, called the prosecutors’ decision a “scarlet letter on Belgian society.” He was joined by the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, who said on X that Belgium “will be thought of now as anti Semitic by world.”
They said the potential prosecutions sent a message that “Jews are no longer welcome in Belgium” and “Belgian Jews are now second class citizens with limited rights.” Their appeal was led by the chairman of the European Jewish Association, Rabbi Menachem Margolin.
Israeli and U.S. officials have also accused Belgium of targeting Jews for practicing their faith.
Gideon Saar, Israel’s minister of foreign affairs, called the prosecutors’ decision a “scarlet letter on Belgian society.” He was joined by the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, who said on X that Belgium “will be thought of now as anti Semitic by world.”
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Thursday, May 28, 2026
Jewish group files cease and desist order against Park Slope Food Coop
A group of pro-Israel activists has filed a cease and desist motion in response to a prominent Brooklyn grocery store’s decision to boycott Israeli products, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has learned.
The letter was sent to the manager and board of directors of the Park Slope Food Coop, alleging that the boycott approved in a vote on Tuesday night is illegal.
The cease and desist letter was submitted by the National Jewish Advocacy Center, a legal and civil rights group, on behalf of Jewish member-owners of the coop.
The letter was sent to the manager and board of directors of the Park Slope Food Coop, alleging that the boycott approved in a vote on Tuesday night is illegal.
The cease and desist letter was submitted by the National Jewish Advocacy Center, a legal and civil rights group, on behalf of Jewish member-owners of the coop.
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Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Jewish UCLA students beaten with sticks, pepper sprayed and knocked out by anti-Israel campus mob: lawsuit
A lawsuit by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the University of California systemclaims abhorrent treatment of Jewish and Israeli students on campus, including exclusion zones and even physical assaults by anti-Israel demonstrators.
That lawsuit says that Jewish and Israeli students were victims of targeted violent crime, including being beaten with sticks and blunt objects, being pummeled into the ground causing a wound that led to hospitalization, being kicked and slapped and being pepper sprayed.
The suit, filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, claimed that the University of California, Los Angeles, turned a blind eye to the horrific alleged behavior in 2024.
“On April 25, 2024, following months of antisemitic and anti-Israeli demonstrations, masked and armed agitators, many of whom were openly hostile to Jews and Israelis, occupied the heart of the University of California, Los Angeles … campus,” the lawsuit begins.
“They built an illegal encampment, surrounded it with barriers, and formed ‘human phalanxes’ to block Jews and Israelis from entering academic buildings,” it continues. “They kicked and slapped Jews, beat Jews with sticks, and assaulted Jews with pepper spray. One Jewish student was knocked unconscious and was taken to the hospital with an open head wound.”
The suit says UCLA “inexplicably took no serious action whatsoever” until May 2025, and claims that the school’s alleged decision to ignore the “harassment of, and discrimination against, Jewish and Israeli students also violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race and national-origin discrimination in higher education.”
On April 25, 2024, UC Divest, a group of anti-Israel student groups including the infamous Students for Justice Palestine (SJP), built an encampment in Royce Quad, described as a heavily trafficked and very important area of the UCLA campus. Some UCLA faculty members are also accused of joining in the demonstration, and “aiding and abetting” illegal activities.
The DOJ describes how antisemitic and anti-Israel demonstrators “built a barrier around it, fashioned with sheets of plywood, some of which were affixed to metal bicycle racks,” and “barricaded the doors of Royce Hall and Powell Library with garbage cans, tents, ropes, and bicycle racks.”
They graffitied buildings and made signs vile messaging, including “F-— ISRAEL,” F-— ALL Jews” and ‘israelis Are Native 2 HELL,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that the anti-Israel demonstrators created human chains to block Jewish and Israeli students — or those perceived to be Jewish or Israeli — from freely entering the quad which contains key campus buildings, including a library. The demonstrators even passed out wristbands to those who were allowed free passage through the zone, but excluded Jewish and Israeli students.
Worse, physical violence against “Zionists” and Jewish and Israeli students became commonplace, according to the lawsuit, and demonstrators began arming themselves with weapons like pepper spray and lumber and “established militia-style checkpoints on UCLA’s campus and refused to allow Jews to traverse public property unless those Jews denounced a core tenet of their religion.”
The lawsuit describes a Native American Jewish woman counter-demonstrating with a sign that read, “Hamas supporters are not welcome on Native land,” who was then “quickly surrounded by a mob” and “violently assaulted.”
Meanwhile, UCLA police were standing “directly behind [her] and [did] absolutely nothing,” according to the lawsuit.
Occupiers pepper sprayed a woman wearing a Star of David and holding an Israeli flag, knocked a pro-Israel woman to the ground, beating her unconscious and causing an open head wound that required hospitalization, and physically assaulted a Jewish man and told him, “Hitler missed one,” the suit says.
On April 30, 2024 UCLA administrators “declared the encampment illegal and directed all those involved to leave or face discipline” and UCLA Chancellor Gene Bock acknowledged that, “Jewish students [were] in a state of anxiety and fear” and that “students on their way to class have been physically blocked from accessing parts of the campus.”
That same day, counter-protesters clashed with the occupiers in what is described in the lawsuit as a hectic scene that included violent skirmishes, including “occupiers and counter-protestors attack[ing] each other with pepper spray, blunt objects, and even fireworks.”
The following day, a van marked with a Star of David inside a swastika parked on campus in support of the anti-Israel encampment. The van had messaging “antisemitic writing referring to Jews as ‘puppet masters,’ was parked on UCLA’s campus in support of the encampment,” and was welcomed by passersby, according to the suit.
Clashes between occupiers and police and Jewish students continued through May and June 2024, the lawsuit says.
Later, 428 Jewish and Israeli students, faculty members and staff from the college were surveyed about their experiences during the unrest. About 50% of them said they “witnessed physical threats or attacks directed at Jews and Israelis.”
“I was assaulted, threatened, and harassed during the encampment. I had an Israeli flag and a man ran towards me in order to push me,” one student said in the survey. “I was blocked for being Jewish. They were calling for an intifada collectively which is to kill the Jews.”
All told, physical damage to the taxpayer-funded school totaled $12.3 million.
In a Tuesday press release announcing the lawsuit, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the DOJ will hold UCLA “to account for its toleration of the equally appalling hostile educational environment against its Jewish and Israeli students.”
“Universities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in the release. “Universities that violate our nation’s civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to shield Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable.”
University of California President James Milliken issued a statement Tuesday after the lawsuit was filed.
“The Board of Regents and administrative leadership have been unequivocal: antisemitism has no place at the University of California. We have instituted numerous systemwide reforms and programs to promote safety and combat antisemitism on our campuses,” he said. “
“UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk, whose family was profoundly affected by Nazi antisemitism and the Holocaust, has made the protection of Jewish students, faculty, and staff on campus the highest priority since the day he took office. It is so disappointing that this most recent lawsuit shows no recognition of or respect for that essential work. This litigation — and other actions taken by the federal government targeting the University of California — does nothing to aid our ongoing efforts to address antisemitism and create safe and welcoming campus environments for all members of our community.”
That lawsuit says that Jewish and Israeli students were victims of targeted violent crime, including being beaten with sticks and blunt objects, being pummeled into the ground causing a wound that led to hospitalization, being kicked and slapped and being pepper sprayed.
The suit, filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, claimed that the University of California, Los Angeles, turned a blind eye to the horrific alleged behavior in 2024.
“On April 25, 2024, following months of antisemitic and anti-Israeli demonstrations, masked and armed agitators, many of whom were openly hostile to Jews and Israelis, occupied the heart of the University of California, Los Angeles … campus,” the lawsuit begins.
“They built an illegal encampment, surrounded it with barriers, and formed ‘human phalanxes’ to block Jews and Israelis from entering academic buildings,” it continues. “They kicked and slapped Jews, beat Jews with sticks, and assaulted Jews with pepper spray. One Jewish student was knocked unconscious and was taken to the hospital with an open head wound.”
The suit says UCLA “inexplicably took no serious action whatsoever” until May 2025, and claims that the school’s alleged decision to ignore the “harassment of, and discrimination against, Jewish and Israeli students also violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race and national-origin discrimination in higher education.”
On April 25, 2024, UC Divest, a group of anti-Israel student groups including the infamous Students for Justice Palestine (SJP), built an encampment in Royce Quad, described as a heavily trafficked and very important area of the UCLA campus. Some UCLA faculty members are also accused of joining in the demonstration, and “aiding and abetting” illegal activities.
The DOJ describes how antisemitic and anti-Israel demonstrators “built a barrier around it, fashioned with sheets of plywood, some of which were affixed to metal bicycle racks,” and “barricaded the doors of Royce Hall and Powell Library with garbage cans, tents, ropes, and bicycle racks.”
They graffitied buildings and made signs vile messaging, including “F-— ISRAEL,” F-— ALL Jews” and ‘israelis Are Native 2 HELL,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that the anti-Israel demonstrators created human chains to block Jewish and Israeli students — or those perceived to be Jewish or Israeli — from freely entering the quad which contains key campus buildings, including a library. The demonstrators even passed out wristbands to those who were allowed free passage through the zone, but excluded Jewish and Israeli students.
Worse, physical violence against “Zionists” and Jewish and Israeli students became commonplace, according to the lawsuit, and demonstrators began arming themselves with weapons like pepper spray and lumber and “established militia-style checkpoints on UCLA’s campus and refused to allow Jews to traverse public property unless those Jews denounced a core tenet of their religion.”
The lawsuit describes a Native American Jewish woman counter-demonstrating with a sign that read, “Hamas supporters are not welcome on Native land,” who was then “quickly surrounded by a mob” and “violently assaulted.”
Meanwhile, UCLA police were standing “directly behind [her] and [did] absolutely nothing,” according to the lawsuit.
Occupiers pepper sprayed a woman wearing a Star of David and holding an Israeli flag, knocked a pro-Israel woman to the ground, beating her unconscious and causing an open head wound that required hospitalization, and physically assaulted a Jewish man and told him, “Hitler missed one,” the suit says.
On April 30, 2024 UCLA administrators “declared the encampment illegal and directed all those involved to leave or face discipline” and UCLA Chancellor Gene Bock acknowledged that, “Jewish students [were] in a state of anxiety and fear” and that “students on their way to class have been physically blocked from accessing parts of the campus.”
That same day, counter-protesters clashed with the occupiers in what is described in the lawsuit as a hectic scene that included violent skirmishes, including “occupiers and counter-protestors attack[ing] each other with pepper spray, blunt objects, and even fireworks.”
The following day, a van marked with a Star of David inside a swastika parked on campus in support of the anti-Israel encampment. The van had messaging “antisemitic writing referring to Jews as ‘puppet masters,’ was parked on UCLA’s campus in support of the encampment,” and was welcomed by passersby, according to the suit.
Clashes between occupiers and police and Jewish students continued through May and June 2024, the lawsuit says.
Later, 428 Jewish and Israeli students, faculty members and staff from the college were surveyed about their experiences during the unrest. About 50% of them said they “witnessed physical threats or attacks directed at Jews and Israelis.”
“I was assaulted, threatened, and harassed during the encampment. I had an Israeli flag and a man ran towards me in order to push me,” one student said in the survey. “I was blocked for being Jewish. They were calling for an intifada collectively which is to kill the Jews.”
All told, physical damage to the taxpayer-funded school totaled $12.3 million.
In a Tuesday press release announcing the lawsuit, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the DOJ will hold UCLA “to account for its toleration of the equally appalling hostile educational environment against its Jewish and Israeli students.”
“Universities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in the release. “Universities that violate our nation’s civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to shield Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable.”
University of California President James Milliken issued a statement Tuesday after the lawsuit was filed.
“The Board of Regents and administrative leadership have been unequivocal: antisemitism has no place at the University of California. We have instituted numerous systemwide reforms and programs to promote safety and combat antisemitism on our campuses,” he said. “
“UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk, whose family was profoundly affected by Nazi antisemitism and the Holocaust, has made the protection of Jewish students, faculty, and staff on campus the highest priority since the day he took office. It is so disappointing that this most recent lawsuit shows no recognition of or respect for that essential work. This litigation — and other actions taken by the federal government targeting the University of California — does nothing to aid our ongoing efforts to address antisemitism and create safe and welcoming campus environments for all members of our community.”
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Tuesday, May 26, 2026
With Torah scroll and combat vest, Ger Hasid goes viral on social media as unlikely symbol of IDF unity
The image of Weitzman, 34, a Ger Hasid, combat soldier and rabbi in the IDF’s Hasmonean Brigade, was posted on social media and quickly drew warm responses online. Now, in an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth and ynet, he is telling his story.
“I grew up in Jerusalem and studied in yeshivas and in a kollel,” says Weitzman, a father of three. “In 2018, I enlisted for full military service. I felt I needed to be part of what I call ‘the Temple of our time.’ The Temple once brought all parts of the Jewish people together, and today the army does that. I wanted to be part of it, to reach people’s hearts.
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Monday, May 25, 2026
New Jersey man indicted for threats against NYC Jewish organization
A New Jersey man was indicted last Monday for making threats against a New York City Jewish organization, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Public Affairs Office announced on Wednesday.
Newark resident Cameron Patterson faces a charge for transmitting an interstate threat, three emails he allegedly sent in October 2024, threatening physical harm to a Jewish non-profit.
The Jewish group reportedly feared for their safety upon receiving the emails attributed to the 34-year-old man, and notified law enforcement.
The DOJ claimed that Patterson's iCloud account contained multiple images depicting or referencing violence and mass shootings.
Patterson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Newark resident Cameron Patterson faces a charge for transmitting an interstate threat, three emails he allegedly sent in October 2024, threatening physical harm to a Jewish non-profit.
The Jewish group reportedly feared for their safety upon receiving the emails attributed to the 34-year-old man, and notified law enforcement.
The DOJ claimed that Patterson's iCloud account contained multiple images depicting or referencing violence and mass shootings.
Patterson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
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Sunday, May 24, 2026
Jewish leader calls on Hochul to send in National Guard for NYC Israel Day Parade
A prominent pro-Israel activist is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to dispatch the National Guard to the Big Apple to help protect marchers at the upcoming Israel Day Parade in the wake of a troubling increase in antisemitic incidents.
Americans Against Antisemitism founder Dov Hikind said he’s a supporter of the NYPD but thinks local cops could use a boost — not just along the parade route in Manhattan but in the general vicinity of the march, as people carrying Israel flags or wearing pro-Israel gear could become targets of violence.
“We need to make sure bad things don’t happen,” said Hikind, a former state Assembly member who represented heavily orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn. “We want to make sure there is safety for the Jewish community. I’m calling on Governor Hochul to bring in the National Guard to help the New York City Police Department.”
Americans Against Antisemitism founder Dov Hikind said he’s a supporter of the NYPD but thinks local cops could use a boost — not just along the parade route in Manhattan but in the general vicinity of the march, as people carrying Israel flags or wearing pro-Israel gear could become targets of violence.
“We need to make sure bad things don’t happen,” said Hikind, a former state Assembly member who represented heavily orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn. “We want to make sure there is safety for the Jewish community. I’m calling on Governor Hochul to bring in the National Guard to help the New York City Police Department.”
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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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Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Terror incident as two Jewish men stabbed in North London
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has called it another horrendous attack targeting the Jewish community.
The stabbing of two men, aged 76 and 34, in Golders Green in North London is being treated by police as terrorism. The 45-year-old suspect also attempted to stab police officers.
He was tasered and has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
https://www.channel4.com/news/terror-incident-as-two-jewish-men-stabbed-in-north-london
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