Los Angeles
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.
Rabbi Joel Nickerson, of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, told JNS that it was a “disturbing outbreak of hate.”
The Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, told JNS that “people can overcome animosities and hatreds and disrespect.”
“At a time of rising levels of antisemitism and hate across America, public safety must be paramount,” Richard Hirschhaut, of the American Jewish Committee, told JNS.
“Just to think, not too long ago I was in the middle of nowhere with a tactical vest and a weapon,” said 22-year-old Omer Halabi.
The museum said that it feared the intention could be misinterpreted as being “a political statement reflecting the ongoing situation in the Middle East.”
“We are experiencing a deplorable escalation of antisemitism across southern California,” Peter Levi, of the ADL, told JNS.
It is “actively looking for people across the political spectrum, because that’s how you do journalism education,” the program director told JNS.
Tamar Nissim, Los Angeles regional director for the nonprofit, told JNS that some staffers didn’t show up to work, because they were afraid.
“Steps are being taken to strengthen our social media oversight protocols,” the department said.
“Countries should protect their borders from people invading to do them harm, whether Arab street rioters in Paris, Greta Thunberg in Gaza or South American gang members in America,” Rabbi Dov Fischer told JNS.
“In an era of heated political rhetoric that has sometimes escalated into violence, we cannot allow public officials to make bomb threats,” said the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.
