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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Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Man faces hate crime charges for allegedly punching 3 Jewish men in the face in Williamsburg
A Queens man is facing hate crime charges for allegedly punching three Jewish men in Williamsburg, prosecutors say.
Andrezj Wnuk, 41, is accused of carrying out the attacks in the span of just three minutes on Friday evening, targeting men wearing traditional Hasidic attire.
Wnuk allegedly uttered phrases like “Jew” and “You Jew” immediately before punching each man in the face, according to court documents.
Wnuk allegedly attacked the first man around 6:40 p.m. at Lorimer Street and Throop Avenue.
Prosecutors say the second assault happened two minutes later at Harrison Avenue and Lorimer Street.
Andrezj Wnuk, 41, is accused of carrying out the attacks in the span of just three minutes on Friday evening, targeting men wearing traditional Hasidic attire.
Wnuk allegedly uttered phrases like “Jew” and “You Jew” immediately before punching each man in the face, according to court documents.
Wnuk allegedly attacked the first man around 6:40 p.m. at Lorimer Street and Throop Avenue.
Prosecutors say the second assault happened two minutes later at Harrison Avenue and Lorimer Street.
One minute later, a third man was attacked near Walton Street and Throop Avenue.
The men, aged 48, 38, and 21, declined medical attention, according to authorities.
Police arrested Wnuk at the scene.
He faces a slew of hate crime charges, including assault, attempted assault and menacing.
Wnuk was arraigned Saturday and his bail was set at $5,000 cash/$20,000 bond.
He is due back in court Thursday.
The men, aged 48, 38, and 21, declined medical attention, according to authorities.
Police arrested Wnuk at the scene.
He faces a slew of hate crime charges, including assault, attempted assault and menacing.
Wnuk was arraigned Saturday and his bail was set at $5,000 cash/$20,000 bond.
He is due back in court Thursday.
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Monday, April 27, 2026
Belz Hasid from New York abducted, brutally murdered in Colombia
Nachum Yisrael Eber, a 51-year-old Belz Hasid from the Borough Park neighborhood of New York, was murdered during a trip to Colombia after being abducted by a local criminal gang.
According to initial reports from Colombian authorities, Eber was kidnapped in an attempted robbery and was later killed by his assailants, who fled the scene. His body was found in a remote area bearing signs of severe violence, days after contact with him was lost and he was reported missing.
Family members, concerned for his safety, appealed to community activists and authorities for assistance in locating him. Following intensive searches conducted in cooperation with local officials, his body was located.
Eber is survived by an extended family, including 16 siblings, who are part of the Belz Hasidic community in the United States, Canada and Israel.
At the same time, leaders of the Jewish community in Colombia, along with international aid organizations and community activists from the United States, are working to ensure proper respect for the deceased and to arrange for his burial as soon as possible.
At the same time, leaders of the Jewish community in Colombia, along with international aid organizations and community activists from the United States, are working to ensure proper respect for the deceased and to arrange for his burial as soon as possible.
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Sunday, April 26, 2026
Jewish Man Brutally Beaten and Robbed in Brussels Antisemitic Attack
A brutal antisemitic attack on the Brussels metro leaves a victim beaten and robbed of a 30-year-old family heirloom.
A 41-year-old Jewish resident of Brussels was violently assaulted on the city’s metro system on Friday evening in what he and Jewish organizations describe as a clear antisemitic attack.
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Friday, April 24, 2026
Ottawa Teen Found Guilty in Terror Plot Against Jewish Community
In a disturbing case that has shaken the Ottawa community, a 17-year-old has been found guilty of plotting a terrorist attack aimed at the Jewish population in the city.
The teen, whose identity is protected due to his age, was inspired by the Islamic State group and had planned to use homemade bombs in a suicide assault.
Arrested in December 2023, this plot involved the possession of explosive substances, including acetone and metal ball bearings, with the intent to cause mass harm.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Carter delivered the guilty verdict, emphasizing the serious nature of the conspiracy to commit murder through involvement with a terrorist group.
The case has garnered significant attention, with Israel’s Consul General in Toronto, Idit Shamir, acknowledging the real threat perceived by the Jewish community even before the arrest.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Two cyclists under investigation for possible hate crime after knocking elderly Jewish man's hat
Two cyclists are under investigation for a possible hate crime after footage circulated Monday by Williamsburg News captured one of them knocking the hat from the head of an elderly Jewish man at the corner of Williamsburg Street and Lee Avenue.
The Williamsburg Shomrim Safety Patrol and the New York Police Department's goth Precinct responded; the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force has been notified, according to Algemeiner. No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday.
The incident surfaced as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch disclosed that confirmed hate crimes rose nearly 12% citywide in the first quarter of 2026, with antisemitic offenses accounting for
55% of all confirmed hate crimes - despite the city's Jewish population representing approximately 10% of New York City residents, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The Williamsburg Shomrim Safety Patrol and the New York Police Department's goth Precinct responded; the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force has been notified, according to Algemeiner. No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday.
The incident surfaced as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch disclosed that confirmed hate crimes rose nearly 12% citywide in the first quarter of 2026, with antisemitic offenses accounting for
55% of all confirmed hate crimes - despite the city's Jewish population representing approximately 10% of New York City residents, the Jerusalem Post reports.
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Monday, April 20, 2026
UK Police Examine Iran Links to Arson Attacks on Jewish Targets
British police said they are investigating possible Iran links to a series of arson attacks on Jewish targets in London, which the UK chief rabbi said showed a sustained campaign of violence against the Jewish community was gathering momentum.
After the latest attack, at Kenton United Synagogue in the Harrow area of the city shortly after midnight, the third such incident in a week, UK counter-terrorism police said they were heading up investigations into the incidents.
British police said on Monday they had arrested two people over the attempted arson.
A 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were taken into custody in connection with the incident, which occurred early on Sunday morning, according to police. The fire caused minor smoke damage to an internal room and no injuries were reported.
A pro-Iranian government group, which says it is also behind a spate of attacks across Europe on US, Israeli, and Jewish targets, has said it was responsible.
“As the conflict in the Middle East continues to evolve, counter-terrorism policing and our partners remain alive to the threat of Iranian hostile activity in the UK,” Vicki Evans, Britain’s senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, told reporters.
“We are aware of public reporting that suggests this group may have links to Iran. As you would expect, we will continue to explore that question as our investigation evolves.”
‘SUSTAINED CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE’
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the Kenton fire, which did not cause any significant damage, was the third “cowardly” attack on Jewish sites in the British capital in less than a week.
“A sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum,” Mirvis said on X. “Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society.”
On Friday night, there was an attempted arson attack on a business premises with links to the Jewish community, while a few days earlier police arrested two suspects over an attempted arson attack on another synagogue in the capital.
Meanwhile an area around the Israeli embassy in London was cordoned off following an online report that it had been targeted with drones carrying “dangerous substances.” Police later said items they found did not contain any harmful or hazardous substances.
Last month, several ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola, which were parked near a synagogue in Golders Green, were torched.
Police said they had boosted their presence in the area, and it was officers on a “deterrence” patrol shortly after midnight who spotted a window at the Kenton synagogue had been damaged. They found an accelerant had been thrown inside.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled by the attempted antisemitic arson attacks. “This is abhorrent and it will not be tolerated. Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain,” he wrote on X.
PRO-IRANIAN GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
The Pro-Iranian group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (HAYI) or Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand of Islam, has said it is responsible, and posted a video purporting to show the attack on the Kenton synagogue on social media.
“This same group has claimed several incidents over recent months at places of worship, business and financial institutions across Europe,” Evans said. “These locations all appear to be linked to Jewish or Israeli interests.”
British police and security services have warned for a number of years of Iran hiring proxies to carry out attacks on its behalf. Last month, two men were charged with being tasked by Tehran to carry out hostile surveillance on the Israeli Embassy and other Jewish targets.
“This is recruiting violence as a service, and the people who conduct that violence often have little or no allegiance to the cause and are taking quick cash for their crimes,” Evans said.
DRONE PATROLS
Matt Jukes, head of counter-terrorism at London police, said police had stepped up surveillance of Jewish areas.
“We’ve got drones, motorbikes, armed officers, taser-armed officers,” he told LBC Radio. “It was one of those patrols that came across the incident in Kenton United Synagogue.”
After the latest attack, at Kenton United Synagogue in the Harrow area of the city shortly after midnight, the third such incident in a week, UK counter-terrorism police said they were heading up investigations into the incidents.
British police said on Monday they had arrested two people over the attempted arson.
A 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were taken into custody in connection with the incident, which occurred early on Sunday morning, according to police. The fire caused minor smoke damage to an internal room and no injuries were reported.
A pro-Iranian government group, which says it is also behind a spate of attacks across Europe on US, Israeli, and Jewish targets, has said it was responsible.
“As the conflict in the Middle East continues to evolve, counter-terrorism policing and our partners remain alive to the threat of Iranian hostile activity in the UK,” Vicki Evans, Britain’s senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, told reporters.
“We are aware of public reporting that suggests this group may have links to Iran. As you would expect, we will continue to explore that question as our investigation evolves.”
‘SUSTAINED CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE’
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the Kenton fire, which did not cause any significant damage, was the third “cowardly” attack on Jewish sites in the British capital in less than a week.
“A sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum,” Mirvis said on X. “Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society.”
On Friday night, there was an attempted arson attack on a business premises with links to the Jewish community, while a few days earlier police arrested two suspects over an attempted arson attack on another synagogue in the capital.
Meanwhile an area around the Israeli embassy in London was cordoned off following an online report that it had been targeted with drones carrying “dangerous substances.” Police later said items they found did not contain any harmful or hazardous substances.
Last month, several ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola, which were parked near a synagogue in Golders Green, were torched.
Police said they had boosted their presence in the area, and it was officers on a “deterrence” patrol shortly after midnight who spotted a window at the Kenton synagogue had been damaged. They found an accelerant had been thrown inside.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled by the attempted antisemitic arson attacks. “This is abhorrent and it will not be tolerated. Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain,” he wrote on X.
PRO-IRANIAN GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
The Pro-Iranian group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (HAYI) or Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand of Islam, has said it is responsible, and posted a video purporting to show the attack on the Kenton synagogue on social media.
“This same group has claimed several incidents over recent months at places of worship, business and financial institutions across Europe,” Evans said. “These locations all appear to be linked to Jewish or Israeli interests.”
British police and security services have warned for a number of years of Iran hiring proxies to carry out attacks on its behalf. Last month, two men were charged with being tasked by Tehran to carry out hostile surveillance on the Israeli Embassy and other Jewish targets.
“This is recruiting violence as a service, and the people who conduct that violence often have little or no allegiance to the cause and are taking quick cash for their crimes,” Evans said.
DRONE PATROLS
Matt Jukes, head of counter-terrorism at London police, said police had stepped up surveillance of Jewish areas.
“We’ve got drones, motorbikes, armed officers, taser-armed officers,” he told LBC Radio. “It was one of those patrols that came across the incident in Kenton United Synagogue.”
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Sunday, April 19, 2026
North London synagogue hit in latest arson attack targeting Jewish community
Britain's chief rabbi said on Sunday that a sustained campaign of violence against the Jewish community was gathering momentum after a synagogue in north London became the latest target in a spate of arson attacks.
UK counter-terrorism police are heading up an investigation into the latest incident, which occurred at Kenton United Synagogue in the Harrow area of the city shortly after midnight.
The fire did not cause any significant damage, but it was the third "cowardly attack" on Jewish sites in the British capital in less than a week, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said.
"A sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum," Mirvis said on X. "Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society."
0 comments
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Argentinian judge to be tried for antisemitism after calling Jews 'rats' and 'vipers'
For the first time in history, an Argentinian judge is set to be tried for antisemitism due to discriminatory remarks made about Jews on social media.
The proceedings follow complaints filed in March 2025 by the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA) and the Argentine Forum Against Antisemitism (FACA).
On Wednesday, the plenary of the National Council of the Judiciary unanimously voted to begin removal proceedings against Judge Alfredo Lopez of Federal Court No. 4 of Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires) for poor performance, citing antisemitic expressions on social media.
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Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Israeli Tech Experts and Jewish Leaders Advance New Front Against Digital Antisemtism
Meta reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that its artificial intelligence systems are developed with sensitivity to Jewish community perspectives during a high-level gathering at the Yeshiva University Museum on Tuesday evening, as Jewish communities in Israel and around the world marked Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Speaking during Hack the Hate NYC 2026, a global initiative by the 8200 Alumni Association and Generative AI for Good, Ben Good, Meta’s Public Policy Director, addressed the company’s approach to the rise of antisemitism online, including Holocaust denial and distortion promoted by users across digital platforms, and emphasized the responsibility of the tech industry to ensure that new systems such as Meta’s own Llama are developed with a deeper awareness of how anti-Jewish hatred manifests in the digital sphere.
“Meta is firmly committed to combatting antisemitism on our platforms, and we are optimistic about the promises of new technologies that we can deploy in that fight,” stated Good during a fireside chat with WJC TecHRi Executive Director Yfat Barak-Cheney.
Prior to Good’s remarks, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University, welcomed an audience of more than 150 participants and underscored the importance of bringing Jewish communal leadership, academic institutions, and emerging innovators together to ensure that Jewish voices contribute meaningfully to some of the most consequential conversations shaping the future.
“Yeshiva University is proud to participate again this year in Hack the Hate 2026 NYC. At a moment when division and antisemitism persist, this initiative affirms our shared responsibility to confront hatred with courage, creativity, and moral clarity," said he said.
Organized by Generative AI for Good and the 8200 Alumni Association in partnership among the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Geshser Israel, Maccabee Ventures, President Isaac Herzog’s Voice of the People initiative, the World Jewish Congress’s TecHRI, and Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, the presentations throughout the evening focused on how emerging technologies can be used not only to identify and counter online hate, Holocaust denial, and distortion of the October 7th attacks, but also to ensure that new AI systems are trained on more accurate and representative understandings of Jewish life, identity, and history.
Participants emphasized the need to move beyond reactive moderation and instead help shape the systems, platforms, and datasets that will influence public understanding of nuanced issues for years to come. Among them were members of President Herzog's Voice of the People initiative, who presented projects developed at the intersection of technology and Jewish identity.
Chen Shmilo, former CEO of the 8200 Alumni Association, and Shiran Mlamedovsky-Somech, founder and CEO of Generative AI for Good, announced the creation of the One Signal Collective, an innovation community aimed at connecting Israeli technological expertise with the lived experience and practical needs of Diaspora Jewish communities. The initiative is intended to establish an ongoing framework through which entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors can collaborate on deep-tech responses to online antisemitism, including Holocaust denial in large language models, cross-platform incitement, and other emerging forms of digitally amplified hate.
Mlamedovsky-Somech presented Hearing Their Voices (theirvoices.ai), a responsible AI platform enabling survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to testify publicly without revealing their identities. Winner of the inaugural SIMA AI Impact Award, the platform counters Holocaust Inversion by placing Israel's testimony alongside Syria, Iraq, and Iran, transforming isolated denial into a documented cross-regional pattern.
Among the highlights of the evening was the launch of One Five Seven (157), a new initiative presented by Dr. Maya Ackerman and Hannah Geller, as part of the Voice of the People initiative. Designed to embed accurate, diverse, and positive Jewish representation into AI systems, the initiative seeks to reduce antisemitic bias and equip institutions to engage responsibly with the opportunities and risks of the AI era. Taking its name from the world’s approximately 15.7 million Jews, the project is rooted in the conviction that as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes how societies understand identity and history, Jewish communities must help ensure that those systems learn from truthful, representative, and dignified source material.
Ofer Familier, Co-Founder and CEO of dig, demonstrated how AI tools can identify the evolution of viral hate narratives, expose bot-driven amplification, and map the emotional triggers that allow antisemitic conspiracies to spread rapidly and at scale online. His presentation focused on the ways in which a false and inflammatory narrative accusing Jews of involvement in the murder of Charlie Kirk was able to gain traction online, illustrating how AI-powered analysis can help detect when fringe accusations begin to mutate into broader, more dangerous campaigns of incitement. By tracing how such narratives are emotionally engineered, artificially amplified, and adapted for virality, Familier highlighted the urgent need for tools capable of intervening before digital blood libels harden into mainstream discourse.
Across the evening’s discussions, speakers returned to their shared concern that the systems being built today will increasingly shape how future generations understand Jews, Jewish history, and the Holocaust, and that this demands earlier, more deliberate engagement from Jewish communities and their partners. Together, the discussions and announcements reflected a growing consensus among participants that confronting antisemitism in the digital age requires not only moral clarity, but also technological sophistication, stronger partnerships, and earlier intervention in the systems shaping online discourse.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2026
New Kentucky law says authorities must contact Chabad before cremating unnamed body
The state of Kentucky has passed a law requiring authorities to contact Chabad before cremating an unclaimed deceased individual.
The bill, sponsored by Republican state Senator Greg Elkins, allows coroners to cremate bodies but requires them to work with religious organizations that volunteer to provide burial for anyone of their faith.
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Sunday, April 12, 2026
As the Greens prepare for its biggest ever elections is their antisemitism crisis even worse than feared?
There are growing fears that evidence of open Jew-hatred amongst Green Party candidates has been seriously underestimated, amid a failure to conduct proper due diligence ahead of next month’s local elections.
A Jewish News investigation has discovered multiple examples of Green candidates sharing conspiracy theories about Jews, including some originating on far-right neo-Nazi websites, along with clear evidence of Holocaust distortion.
Some observers now even fear that the antisemitism crisis with Zack Polanski’s party, which is fielding thousands of candidates at the May 7 elections, is comparable to, or even worse than, the similar problem that caused havoc to Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Challenged at the launch of the Greens’ election campaign over fears of an inadequate vetting process by party chiefs ahead of next month’s poll, Polanski himself admitted: “I recognise we’re dealing with an immense amount of people very quickly, and so I won’t be surprised if we have the odd candidate where we have to distance from them.”
He claimed: “We’re doing everything we can to make sure we’re doing due diligence … We’re not being complacent about it for a second and recognise the scale of the task that’s in front of us.”
The widely predicted Green success in the local elections could impact significantly on Jewish voters, especially within areas of London.
While Polanski’s party is unlikely to make dramatic inroads in Barnet, home to the largest Jewish electorate, the predicted Green surge in boroughs like Camden, Brent, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham and Islington is now a major concern for communal leaders in the run-up to the local elections.
A Jewish News investigation has discovered multiple examples of Green candidates sharing conspiracy theories about Jews, including some originating on far-right neo-Nazi websites, along with clear evidence of Holocaust distortion.
Some observers now even fear that the antisemitism crisis with Zack Polanski’s party, which is fielding thousands of candidates at the May 7 elections, is comparable to, or even worse than, the similar problem that caused havoc to Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Challenged at the launch of the Greens’ election campaign over fears of an inadequate vetting process by party chiefs ahead of next month’s poll, Polanski himself admitted: “I recognise we’re dealing with an immense amount of people very quickly, and so I won’t be surprised if we have the odd candidate where we have to distance from them.”
He claimed: “We’re doing everything we can to make sure we’re doing due diligence … We’re not being complacent about it for a second and recognise the scale of the task that’s in front of us.”
The widely predicted Green success in the local elections could impact significantly on Jewish voters, especially within areas of London.
While Polanski’s party is unlikely to make dramatic inroads in Barnet, home to the largest Jewish electorate, the predicted Green surge in boroughs like Camden, Brent, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham and Islington is now a major concern for communal leaders in the run-up to the local elections.
New evidence unearthed by Jewish News includes a Green Party candidate standing for election in Camden, north London, who shared antisemitic claims that the Old Testament commands Jews to kill children, that Zionists carried out the 9/11 terror attacks, and “false flag” lies about the Golders Green Hatzola arson attack.
Jewish News has approached the Green Party for comment after being shown a series of deeply troubling social media posts shared or written by Aziz Hakimi, who is standing in Camden’s Haverstock ward.
One post shared by Hakimi in August 2025 shows him sharing a graphic of the flaming twin towers after the 9/11 terror attack and openly blaming it on “Zionists.”
A second post shared by the Green candidate last month appears to be a far-right originating video sharing antisemitic claims that Jews are commanded by the Old Testament to kill children.
Hakimi also shared an article widely circulated after last month’s Golders Green arson attack that stated: “The London Ambulance Attack — Of Course It Was A False Flag.”
Another post shared by Hakimi originally appeared on the Islamist 5 Pillars website and shows footage of Charedi Jews being abused and told to “go back home” after arriving at Krakow airport in Poland on a flight from Israel.
Jewish News has also been sent evidence showing how the Green Party has willingly accepted candidates who faced antisemitism allegations in the Labour Party. Karen Sudan, now standing for the Greens in West Sussex, resigned from Labour amid such claims.
In August 2018, she accused the media of being “too busy making up and/or exaggerating stories about antisemitism in the Labour Party to raise an outcry over other forms of racism.”
Jewish News has approached the Green Party for comment after being shown a series of deeply troubling social media posts shared or written by Aziz Hakimi, who is standing in Camden’s Haverstock ward.
One post shared by Hakimi in August 2025 shows him sharing a graphic of the flaming twin towers after the 9/11 terror attack and openly blaming it on “Zionists.”
A second post shared by the Green candidate last month appears to be a far-right originating video sharing antisemitic claims that Jews are commanded by the Old Testament to kill children.
Hakimi also shared an article widely circulated after last month’s Golders Green arson attack that stated: “The London Ambulance Attack — Of Course It Was A False Flag.”
Another post shared by Hakimi originally appeared on the Islamist 5 Pillars website and shows footage of Charedi Jews being abused and told to “go back home” after arriving at Krakow airport in Poland on a flight from Israel.
Jewish News has also been sent evidence showing how the Green Party has willingly accepted candidates who faced antisemitism allegations in the Labour Party. Karen Sudan, now standing for the Greens in West Sussex, resigned from Labour amid such claims.
In August 2018, she accused the media of being “too busy making up and/or exaggerating stories about antisemitism in the Labour Party to raise an outcry over other forms of racism.”
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Friday, April 10, 2026
Israeli Restaurant in Munich Targeted in Suspected Antisemitic Attack
An Israeli restaurant in the German city of Munich was attacked on Thursday night when assailants smashed multiple windows and threw pyrotechnic devices inside in what authorities suspected was an antisemitic assault — the latest in a series of incidents unfolding against a backdrop of rising hostility toward Jews and Israelis nationwide.
As of Friday morning, local law enforcement had opened a criminal investigation into the attack in southern Germany, with authorities probing a possible antisemitic motive and reviewing security footage and witness accounts as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The restaurant was closed at the time of the attack, and no one was injured, though the perpetrators caused damage estimated at several thousand euros.
Police said the assailants had not yet been identified, and it remained unclear how many people were involved in the attack.
Munich’s State Security Service, which handles politically motivated crimes, took over the case, as authorities worked to determine the circumstances and identify those involved.
“According to the current state of investigations, the display windows were forcibly damaged, and pyrotechnic devices were thrown into the restaurant,” police said in a statement, adding that the origin and type of the devices had yet to be determined and remained a key line of inquiry.
Opened in 2007, the restaurant is located on Hessstrasse in the Maxvorstadt district, Munich’s central university quarter near the Old Town and the main railway station, an area known for its cultural institutions, student life, and busy pedestrian streets.
Restaurant employee Grigori Dratva, the owner’s brother-in-law, told the German DPA news agency that there had been “no direct threats” ahead of the incident.
“We don’t want to make accusations, but we are a visible Israeli restaurant, so the assumption is obvious,” Dratva said.
Despite the attack, Dratva said the restaurant planned to reopen later the same day after the damaged windows were temporarily secured and scheduled for replacement, adding, “We won’t be intimidated.”
The Munich-based Conference of European Rabbis (CER) strongly denounced the attack, warning it reflected a troubling and escalating pattern of antisemitic incidents, while calling for swift measures to strengthen protections for Jews and prevent further violence.
“This attack is not a one-off, but rather part of a dangerous trend that we have been seeing since Oct. 7, 2023,” CER’s General Secretary Gady Gronich said in a statement, referring to the ongoing surge in antisemitic incidents following Hamas’s invasion of southern Israel over two years ago.
“Until now, Munich was a safe place for Jews, and it must stay that way. What’s needed is a clear line: zero tolerance against antisemitism, with harsh punishments that do not lead to repeat incidents, and no room for those who sow hate in our society,” he continued.
Like most countries across Europe and the broader Western world, Germany has seen a shocking rise in antisemitic incidents over the last two years, in the wake of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre.
According to recently released figures, the number of antisemitic offenses in the country reached a record high in 2025, totaling 2,267 incidents, including violence, incitement, property damage, and propaganda offenses.
By comparison, officially recorded antisemitic crimes were significantly lower at 1,825 in 2024, 900 in 2023, and fewer than 500 in 2022, prior to the Oct. 7 atrocities.
Officials have warned that the real number of antisemitic crimes is likely much higher, as many incidents go unreported.
As of Friday morning, local law enforcement had opened a criminal investigation into the attack in southern Germany, with authorities probing a possible antisemitic motive and reviewing security footage and witness accounts as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The restaurant was closed at the time of the attack, and no one was injured, though the perpetrators caused damage estimated at several thousand euros.
Police said the assailants had not yet been identified, and it remained unclear how many people were involved in the attack.
Munich’s State Security Service, which handles politically motivated crimes, took over the case, as authorities worked to determine the circumstances and identify those involved.
“According to the current state of investigations, the display windows were forcibly damaged, and pyrotechnic devices were thrown into the restaurant,” police said in a statement, adding that the origin and type of the devices had yet to be determined and remained a key line of inquiry.
Opened in 2007, the restaurant is located on Hessstrasse in the Maxvorstadt district, Munich’s central university quarter near the Old Town and the main railway station, an area known for its cultural institutions, student life, and busy pedestrian streets.
Restaurant employee Grigori Dratva, the owner’s brother-in-law, told the German DPA news agency that there had been “no direct threats” ahead of the incident.
“We don’t want to make accusations, but we are a visible Israeli restaurant, so the assumption is obvious,” Dratva said.
Despite the attack, Dratva said the restaurant planned to reopen later the same day after the damaged windows were temporarily secured and scheduled for replacement, adding, “We won’t be intimidated.”
The Munich-based Conference of European Rabbis (CER) strongly denounced the attack, warning it reflected a troubling and escalating pattern of antisemitic incidents, while calling for swift measures to strengthen protections for Jews and prevent further violence.
“This attack is not a one-off, but rather part of a dangerous trend that we have been seeing since Oct. 7, 2023,” CER’s General Secretary Gady Gronich said in a statement, referring to the ongoing surge in antisemitic incidents following Hamas’s invasion of southern Israel over two years ago.
“Until now, Munich was a safe place for Jews, and it must stay that way. What’s needed is a clear line: zero tolerance against antisemitism, with harsh punishments that do not lead to repeat incidents, and no room for those who sow hate in our society,” he continued.
Like most countries across Europe and the broader Western world, Germany has seen a shocking rise in antisemitic incidents over the last two years, in the wake of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre.
According to recently released figures, the number of antisemitic offenses in the country reached a record high in 2025, totaling 2,267 incidents, including violence, incitement, property damage, and propaganda offenses.
By comparison, officially recorded antisemitic crimes were significantly lower at 1,825 in 2024, 900 in 2023, and fewer than 500 in 2022, prior to the Oct. 7 atrocities.
Officials have warned that the real number of antisemitic crimes is likely much higher, as many incidents go unreported.
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Tuesday, April 07, 2026
NYPD arrests teen for threatening to kill Jewish kids in Brooklyn
A New York City teen has been arrested and charged with hate crime and aggravated harassment, making terrorist threats and threatening mass harm after announcing her intention to kill Jewish children in Brooklyn, N.Y., the New York City Police Department said on Tuesday.
In a video chat recording shared on social media by New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, 18-year-old Eslam Alsaedi said, “If I see Jewish people in the U.S.A., I swear to God I’ve got to kill them. I try to kill kids. You know the kids for the Jewish people? I try to kill them.”
In the video, Alsaedi said he lives in Harlem and wanted to go to Brooklyn because he reportedly heard somebody say a lot of Jews live there. “I want big building, a lot of Jewish people, a whole school with kids,” he said.
The NYPD told JNS a complaint report was “filed for terrorism” on Monday in the 32nd Precinct.
Alsaedi was arrested on April 6 at about 6:30 p.m.
“He thought he would get away with it. We contacted NYPD’s counterterrorism unit, and they were immediately on it,” Vernikov said. “This must be prosecuted both locally and federally to the fullest extent of the law.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has not yet commented on the terror threat or the arrest.
In a video chat recording shared on social media by New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, 18-year-old Eslam Alsaedi said, “If I see Jewish people in the U.S.A., I swear to God I’ve got to kill them. I try to kill kids. You know the kids for the Jewish people? I try to kill them.”
In the video, Alsaedi said he lives in Harlem and wanted to go to Brooklyn because he reportedly heard somebody say a lot of Jews live there. “I want big building, a lot of Jewish people, a whole school with kids,” he said.
The NYPD told JNS a complaint report was “filed for terrorism” on Monday in the 32nd Precinct.
Alsaedi was arrested on April 6 at about 6:30 p.m.
“He thought he would get away with it. We contacted NYPD’s counterterrorism unit, and they were immediately on it,” Vernikov said. “This must be prosecuted both locally and federally to the fullest extent of the law.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has not yet commented on the terror threat or the arrest.
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Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Federal judge orders Penn to turn over information on Jewish staffers as part of discrimination investigation
A federal judge has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to comply with a federal government subpoena demanding information on Jewish faculty, ostensibly part of an investigation into antisemitism on campus.
U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert said employees can refuse to take part in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation, but the agency "needs the opportunity to talk to them directly to learn if they have evidence of discrimination."
Pappert, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, determined that the EEOC request fell within its authority to investigate workplace discrimination and that the agency is entitled to obtain relevant information for its inquiry. The investigation was opened in 2023 following complaints of antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attack.
U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert said employees can refuse to take part in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation, but the agency "needs the opportunity to talk to them directly to learn if they have evidence of discrimination."
Pappert, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, determined that the EEOC request fell within its authority to investigate workplace discrimination and that the agency is entitled to obtain relevant information for its inquiry. The investigation was opened in 2023 following complaints of antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attack.
Penn challenged the scope of the EEOC's request, arguing that it was overly broad and raised legal and privacy concerns for students and staff. Jewish-oriented groups, including the American Academy of Jewish Research and the Jewish Law Students Association of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, supported Penn on Tuesday.
Senior Regional Director Andrew Goretsky said ADL Philadelphia is still reviewing the decision but pointed to a November statement, saying it "shares the EEOC's commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish employees from discrimination and harassment on college campuses and we appreciate that the EEOC has undertaken a number of critical investigations to help do just that."
Senior Regional Director Andrew Goretsky said ADL Philadelphia is still reviewing the decision but pointed to a November statement, saying it "shares the EEOC's commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish employees from discrimination and harassment on college campuses and we appreciate that the EEOC has undertaken a number of critical investigations to help do just that."
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Monday, March 30, 2026
'Damn Jews' shouted at Haredi men in Melbourne as stolen car swerves toward group
A serious antisemitic incident is under investigation in Melbourne, Australia, after four women traveling in a stolen car approached a group of Hasidic men on Saturday morning and shouted abuse at them.
According to accounts given to local media, the passengers yelled antisemitic slurs, including "damn Jews," as they drove near the group. The vehicle was also reported to have swerved dangerously toward them, with one person forced to jump backward to avoid being struck as the car neared the curb. No injuries were reported.
Local police confirmed an investigation has been opened, describing the incident as one of several linked to the same vehicle. Victoria Police said they had received multiple reports of dangerous and offensive behavior by occupants of a Hyundai believed to have been involved in additional incidents around the city.
Police said the suspects were also involved in other incidents in which eggs were thrown at people while abusive remarks were shouted at several locations across the city. The vehicle was stolen from a home in the Caulfield suburb last Wednesday and has since been seen driving erratically.
Footage from the scene shows the car sharply veering into the opposite lane as the passengers continue shouting at the group of Jewish men. A police spokesperson said the behavior endangered the public and that efforts are ongoing to locate the suspects and bring them to justice.
The incident has raised concern within the local Jewish community amid a recent increase in reports of antisemitic incidents in Australia.
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Friday, March 27, 2026
USPS worker charged for allegedly shoving 4-year-old to the ground in Monsey
A United States Postal Service worker was arrested for shoving a 4-year-old boy to the ground in Monsey, Ramapo Police said.
The shocking incident took place Thursday at 6:25 p.m. and was caught on surveillance video posted on social media.
The video shows a young Hasidic boy approaching the USPS worker who is outside his van. The worker can then be seen lunging toward the boy and shoving him forcefully to the ground. The boy rolls backwards with the force of the shove, with his legs hanging above his head. He then stands up, picks up his yarmulke, and leaves.
The surveillance video is silent, so it was not immediately known what, if any, words were exchanged between the two prior to the incident.
"The content of this video is very disturbing," Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht posted on social media. "Ramapo Police have treated whit matter with extreme seriousness and have now arrested the suspect."
Ramapo Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Gabriel Stan from Stony Point, who works for the USPS. Stan has ben charged with felony attempted assault in the second degree, as well as misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child. Stan was released on his own recognizance.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Jewish pilgrims flock to Poland's Leżajsk
Before entering the local cemetery, pilgrims visit a mikveh, or ritual bath, from where they proceed to the ohel, a structure built around Weisblum's grave.
There, they place written prayers on small pieces of paper at the rabbi's tomb, asking for his intercession in matters of personal importance.
The prayers, accompanied by traditional dances and the singing of psalms, conclude with a kosher meal consisting of salmon, beef, pancakes, soup, vegetables and cholent, a traditional Sabbath stew.
Michał Konieczny of the Leżajsk Hasidic Jews Foundation told Poland's PAP news agency that because of the conflict in the Middle East, about 4,000 Jews were expected to arrive, instead of the roughly 15,000 anticipated earlier.
The ceremonies were set to run until late on Tuesday.
Weisblum was one of the founders of the Hasidic movement, which sought to revive Judaism in the 18th century. He was known as both a spiritual healer and a leader of Jewish mysticism.
Before World War II, Leżajsk was home to about 3,000 Jews and was an important centre of Hasidic Judaism in Poland. The town's two synagogues were burnt down in September 1939.
The tradition of annual prayers at Weisblum's tomb was revived in the 1970s.
Today, Leżajsk, a town of about 14,000 residents, remains one of the most sacred sites for Hasidic Jews, attracting pilgrims year-round for Jewish holidays and private visits.
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