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“The rabbi who founded our synagogue was himself a German refugee and dedicated the synagogue to the memory of the synagogues that were destroyed in Germany,” said Rabbi Mendelson.
By United with Israel Staff
A series of coordinated antisemitic attacks struck Jewish institutions and homes across Queens, N.Y., early Monday morning, with vandals scrawling swastikas and pro-Nazi graffiti on synagogues, private residences, and a vehicle in what officials and community leaders described as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community.
According to law enforcement sources, at least four individuals carried out the vandalism spree across multiple locations in Rego Park and Forest Hills shortly after 1 a.m. Surveillance footage from the Rego Park Jewish Center shows a group crouching near the building before fleeing the scene.
By daylight, hateful symbols were discovered at several sites, including the Rego Park Jewish Center and Congregation Machane Chodosh in Forest Hills.
The latter synagogue holds deep historical significance, having been founded by German Jewish refugees who fled Nazi persecution. A swastika was spray-painted partially over a memorial plaque honoring Jews murdered during the Holocaust.
“The rabbi who founded our synagogue was himself a German refugee and dedicated the synagogue to the memory of the synagogues that were destroyed in Germany and the Jews who were murdered for being Jewish,” said Rabbi Yosef Mendelson, speaking to the New York Post.
He described the incident as “very upsetting,” adding that the location, near a street named Holocaust Memorial Corner, made the act especially painful.
Additional targets included two private homes, another synagogue on 108th Street, and a car, all marked with similar graffiti. At one site, vandals also scrawled references to Adolf Hitler, according to images and reports from the scene.
Community members expressed shock that such an incident could occur in neighborhoods long considered strongholds of Jewish life. “I really lived in a comforting cocoon,” resident Suzanne Tufts Israel told CBS New York. “I thought it can’t happen here.”
Rabbi Romiel Daniel of the Rego Park Jewish Center noted the building serves both children and seniors, including a day care and community programs. “We are certainly concerned,” he said. “It’s a Jewish organization, and given what’s happening across the country and in New York, we have to be more aware.”
City and state officials quickly condemned the attacks. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the vandalism “a deliberate act of antisemitic hatred meant to instill fear,” while noting that the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who visited the affected sites, said the incidents were “completely unacceptable” and stressed the need for stronger education efforts to combat hate.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer described the attacks as “sickening” and said there is “absolutely no place in our city for this type of vile antisemitism.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was “appalled” by what he called a coordinated assault on Jewish life in New York City.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said state police are assisting in the investigation.
The incidents come amid ongoing concerns about rising antisemitism in New York City. According to NYPD data cited by CBS New York, Jews make up about 10 percent of the city’s population but were the targets of roughly 60 percent of reported hate crimes last month.
Despite the shock and anger, some community leaders sought to respond with outreach. Rabbi Mendelson said he would welcome the perpetrators for a conversation. “I would love to have a cup of coffee with you and tell you what we actually stand for,” he said.
Authorities said the graffiti was left in place temporarily as part of the investigation before being removed later in the day. The NYPD is continuing to search for those responsible.
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