Antisemitism Watch

Man Charged With Hate Crime Threats Against California JCC
VP Vance Links Immigrants to Rising Antisemitism
Petition Seeks Law School Accreditation Revoked Over Campus Antisemitism

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

Today, we begin with serious allegations of hate-fueled threats and violence. In Lomita, California, a 43-year-old man, Paul Dean Andrews, has been held to answer on felony hate crime charges. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, Andrews allegedly made antisemitic threats to shoot up the Jewish Community Center in Redondo Beach, targeting hundreds of children. This follows a prior felony gun case where Andrews was offered diversion and ordered to complete an anti-bias program. Instead, prosecutors say he made further antisemitic threats and slurs, including against the Museum of Tolerance. Andrews has pleaded not guilty to charges including violating civil rights and making criminal threats. He faces up to nine years, four months in state prison if convicted.

In Orlando, Florida, a professional mixed martial arts event at the Kia Center saw a fighter, Paul Miller, use antisemitic slurs against his opponent, Ben Azoulay. In a separate incident, a spectator was ejected for waving a swastika flag. While Orlando Venues stated they were compelled to host the event due to First Amendment protections, the city's mayor, Buddy Dyer, and Kia America have condemned the hate symbols and rhetoric, stating that hate will never be welcome in Orlando.

On college campuses, lawyers and the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation are petitioning the Law Society of Ontario to withdraw accreditation for Toronto Metropolitan University’s law school. This action stems from a recent report by former Ontario Appeal Court Justice Mary Lou Benotto, which described the university as experiencing rampant antisemitism, with Jewish students reportedly spat on, harassed, and living in fear. The report found that TMU failed to adequately address the issue after October 7th, creating a hostile environment.

In politics, Vice President JD Vance has drawn criticism for remarks made at a closed-door meeting with the Republican Jewish Coalition. According to reporting, Vance baselessly claimed that immigrants and their "ancient ethnic hatreds" are responsible for some of the rise in antisemitism in America, particularly among white people. Vance has also reportedly described Tucker Carlson's antisemitism as a "difference" and expressed interest in involving figures like Carlson and Nick Fuentes, known for their antisemitic associations.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces accusations that his rhetoric has contributed to a sharp rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes. Data indicates Jewish residents are targets of nearly 70% of all hate crimes, a 53.3% increase year-over-year. Some reports cite a "blood libel video" from Mamdani and his calls for protests against Israel's leadership as contributing factors. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman stated that if elected governor, he would use his powers to act against Mamdani if such rhetoric continues.

In the cultural sphere, over 180 Jewish actors, filmmakers, and cultural figures have signed an open letter defending actor Mark Ruffalo against accusations of antisemitism. The signatories argue that Ruffalo's criticism of a business merger involving a company linked to Israel, which included claims of Israeli "genocide" and "apartheid," was not antisemitic but a critique of specific business and political activities, not an attack on Jews as a group.

Turning to policy, a new Missouri law, effective August 28th, mandates that public schools and universities define antisemitic behavior using the IHRA working definition and report cases, treating such harassment similarly to race-based discrimination. While the law includes provisions intended to protect criticism of Israel, critics express concerns that it may infringe on First Amendment rights.

Internationally, Latin American countries are strengthening ties with Israel and adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism. The Dominican Republic formally adopted the definition this week, joining seven other nations in the region. This trend is seen as partly driven by the election of center-right governments that oppose socialism and are increasingly viewing Israel as an ally against threats, including those from Iran-backed groups.

In watchdog reporting, researchers David Collier and Rachel Feldman released a 101-page investigative report detailing alleged extremist ties and contradictions in the narrative of Columbia University activist Mohsen Mahdawi. The report cites Arabic-language social media posts from 2010 and 2011, allegedly by Mahdawi, including statements like "we will annihilate the Jews" and "Zionists... burn."

In case outcomes, the owners of Oakland's Jerusalem Coffee House announced the cafe's sudden closure. The business faces three discrimination lawsuits, including one from the Justice Department, over allegations of antisemitic discrimination and hate speech against Jewish customers. The cafe owners have cited "safety" fears and opposition from "Zionist" foes, while legal action centers on incidents where Jewish customers wearing Star of David symbols were allegedly refused service or subjected to harassment. A federal civil rights trial is scheduled for October 26.

Finally, religious institutions nationwide are grappling with a growing security crisis. Synagogues, churches, and mosques face rising antisemitic threats and hate crimes, but local police often lack sufficient resources. This has increased reliance on the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, or NSGP, which is significantly underfunded. Data shows only 20% of applicants received grant funding in 2025, leaving many institutions vulnerable. Jewish communities alone are reportedly paying what's described as an "antisemitism tax" to fund essential security measures, underscoring a critical gap in government protection.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for joining us on Antisemitism Watch.

This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
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