The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington released a statement on Wednesday reporting that antisemitic graffiti was discovered on a “We Support Israel” sign at Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County in Bethesda, Md.
It came just days after vandals spray-painted antisemitic messages such as “Israel rapes men, women and children” over the weekend onto the main sign of the Bethesda Elementary School.
“We call on our community and allies to continue making it clear that antisemitism and hate speech have no place in Greater Washington,” Federation said in its statement. “We are in close contact with local law enforcement, and we appreciate their swift responses to these incidents to ensure our community’s safety.”
Montgomery County includes Maryland’s largest Jewish community, accounting for 45% of the state’s Jews. The population of Bethesda—its name is derived from the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, possibly an ancient mikvah (Jewish ritual bath)—numbers 68,056, according to the 2022 census.
