Hate Crimes
The arson of Beth Israel Congregation “is not merely an attack on a building,” the bipartisan measure states. “It is an attack on the right of individuals to worship as they deem proper.”
The new legislation draws strong support from major Jewish bodies for tackling antisemitism, but the Australian Jewish Association warns it was rushed and threatens free speech.
“This is the first time in American history that the same exact synagogue has been hit twice for the same fundamental cause, which is blaming the Jew for the problems that the perpetrator perceives exist,” Gary Zola told JNS.
“At a time when antisemitism is at unprecedented levels, this hate crimes policy demonstrates Alexandria’s commitment to standing against all hate,” a local Jewish community leader stated.
The victim reportedly said that the attacker was shouting that he wanted to kill Jews.
King County prosecutors say Joshua Cole Scott left antisemitic voicemails targeting the Reform Temple De Hirsch Sinai.
“Even the smallest, or what might seem to be the smallest, detail could be what helps us solve this crime,” a spokesperson for the police department in Clayton, Mo., told JNS.
On Sunday morning, many hours after the shooting, authorities said that a person of interest was in custody.
The Manhattan district attorney said that Salem Seleiman will serve two years for his role in a hate crime attack on Joseph Borgen.
The report found a decrease in anti-Jewish hate from 2023 to 2024, but the number of crimes targeting Israelis rose, and 80% of all religious-based hate crimes in the country targeted Jews in 2024.
“Hate will have no oxygen in Maryland,” Gov. Wes Moore stated.
The five-year, $18 million plan includes a dedicated antisemitism research institute, and new policing and education tools.
