Headlines

FBI Arrests PA Man in Plot for Mass Violence Targeting Synagogues
Denver School Board VP Faces Slur Allegations; Restaurant Bars 'Zionists'
Rutgers Professor Arrested for Inciting Riot, Justifying Oct 7th Attacks

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Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler. Today, we begin with a stark reminder of violent intent, alongside crucial developments in campus life, political rhetoric, and the insidious ways antisemitism is weaponized.

Our top story today details a chilling plot for mass violence. According to JTA reporting, federal authorities arrested a 21-year-old man from Valencia, Pennsylvania, identified as Jonathan Kramer. An FBI affidavit states Kramer, who used the online pseudonym 'Hamza Al Rashid,' discussed using chemicals like ricin or cyanide to poison food and drink, specifically mentioning 'preferably synagogues.' The FBI also noted this was part of a broader plot involving advising on various attack methods, including chemical poisons, arson, vehicle attacks, and drone explosives. Kramer was arrested with a rifle, ammunition, and knives and has been charged with receiving a firearm and ammunition believing they would be used to commit terrorism. He had reportedly been on the FBI's radar since 2023 for a prior plot. The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has stated they are in close contact with law enforcement regarding the details.

Turning to campus and community life, a controversy is unfolding in Denver. Denver Public Schools Board Vice President Monica Hunter has been accused, according to VINnews reporting, of referring to Jewish board member Amy Klein Molk as a 'racist Zionist [expletive]' and stating she did not want to sit next to her. Hunter has denied the allegations, and the school board has voted to hire an independent investigator. This situation runs parallel to criticism leveled against the restaurant Sắp Sửa, which, as reported by VINnews, stated on Instagram that 'Jews are welcome, Zionists are not.' Following inquiries, the restaurant account stated 'everyone is welcome except those who align with the genocidal apartheid ethno-supremacist regime of Israel.' Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Alliance of Colorado and StopAntisemitism, condemned the restaurant's stance, arguing it effectively targets the vast majority of Jews and raises questions about anti-discrimination laws. An opinion piece in The Denver Post by Scott L. Levin and Rabbi Joseph R. Black noted that the word 'Zionist' has been corrupted and that disagreements over Israel should not prevent Jews from being welcome in society.

In academia, a Rutgers University professor has been arrested following an incident at a county commission meeting. Reporting from The New York Post indicates Noura Saleh Erakat, described as an anti-Zionist professor and attorney, was arrested on a misdemeanor trespassing charge. According to law enforcement records cited, Erakat allegedly attempted to 'incite [a] riot' and refused orders to leave the meeting, which was discussing the county's investment in Israel Bonds. Erakat is noted for advocating for the end of Israel's existence and justifying the October 7th massacre. The action was reportedly orchestrated by the Internationalist Law Center.

In the realm of politics and media, a public dispute between rapper Macklemore and football magnate Robert Kraft has drawn significant attention. As detailed by JTA, the controversy began when Macklemore performed his protest song 'Hind's Hall,' which celebrates pro-Palestinian encampments and states 'white supremacy is finally on blast.' Following advocacy from the watchdog group StopAntisemitism and a repost by the pop star Pink, Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, reportedly pressured venue owners to drop Macklemore from a tour. Kraft cited Macklemore's 'broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery,' referencing a 2014 incident where Macklemore allegedly made a Nazi-like salute and wore antisemitic caricature items, for which he later apologized. Kraft emphasized Gillette Stadium's commitment to being free of hate speech. This spat has ignited broader debates about free speech, consequences, and how the Jewish community should respond to perceived hate speech, with scholar Jonathan Sarna noting the complex challenges involved.

On college campuses, the climate for Jewish students and faculty continues to be a critical concern. A review in The Washington Free Beacon, discussed in an excerpt, covers Yossi Sheffi's book 'Unsafe at MIT.' Sheffi, an MIT professor, chronicles the experiences of Jewish individuals on campus following the October 7th massacre, depicting the institution as having been 'hijacked by antisemitism.' The book, based on interviews, describes instances of mobs and masked protesters making parts of campus 'no-go zones for any Jew.' Sheffi himself is quoted expressing 'anger, grief, and disbelief' at the situation, attributing it to 'antisemitic hatred and administrative incompetence.'

Looking at broader trends, analysis indicates that foreign adversaries are leveraging antisemitism as a potent digital weapon. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, nations like Russia, Iran, and China are employing 'weaponized antisemitism' to weaken America by damaging its social fabric and undermining trust in institutions. Russia pioneered this tactic, with Iran and its proxies amplifying it, and China scaling it through technology. This strategy has evolved from historical conspiracy theories like 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion' to modern disinformation campaigns amplified on social media. Microsoft security analysts found a 42% surge in global consumption of Iranian state media during the war's first week, and Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, has described Iranian efforts to exploit Gaza-related protests. An analysis by the cybersecurity firm Cyabra found that one in four accounts supporting the October 7th massacre on major platforms were fake bots.

In street-level incidents, a woman in Boston was arrested after shouting antisemitic slurs at individuals heading to a synagogue. According to reporting from World Israel News, the woman called them 'Jewish pedophiles' and accused them of genocide before police apprehended her. She was reportedly released with instructions to stay away from the building.

In Jerusalem, the Kol Haneshama synagogue, a prominent Reform establishment, experienced its third act of vandalism in a month. Haaretz reported that perpetrators tore off a window screen and threw a plate inside, shattering it. During Rosh Hashanah prayers, youths reportedly entered the synagogue and threw eggs at worshippers.

Finally, a report touches on palpable fear within the Jewish community, including among Holocaust survivors, alongside instances of explicit antisemitism. According to reporting from the Miami Herald, a WhatsApp group involving students and a political party official used antisemitic and racial slurs, discussed Hitler, and included a participant writing, 'I would def not marry a Jew.' The Washington Post reported that a former staffer to Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia had posted a swastika and an image of himself appearing to wear Ku Klux Klan robes, and that a political director for Republican Sen. Jon Husted’s reelection campaign used a photograph of Nazi SS soldiers as his Facebook profile picture. The article emphasizes that while criticism of Israeli policies is not inherently antisemitic, it can cross a line when relying on tropes or targeting Jews.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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

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Sources:
- JTA: https://www.jta.org/2026/09/20/united-states/attacks-on-synagogues-were-part-of-massive-isis-inspired-plot-by-pittsburgh-area-man-fbi-says
- worldisraelnews.com: https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-boston-woman-shouts-antisemitic-slurs-at-jews-heading-to-synagogue/
- haaretz.com: https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-09-20/ty-article/.premium/jerusalem-reform-synagogue-vandalized-for-third-time-in-one-month/000001a0-be8f-d1d5-a1f5-bfbf9b220000
- forbes.com: https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottwhite/2026/09/20/the-administration-claims-to-protect-jewish-students-which-jews-asked-it-to/
- vinnews.com: https://vinnews.com/2026/09/20/denver-restaurant-tells-zionists-they-are-not-welcome-as-school-board-faces-antisemitism-allegations/
- powerlineblog.com: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/09/engineering-hate.php
- bostonglobe.com: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/20/metro/macklegate-yom-kippur/
- yahoo.com: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/antisemitism-threatens-more-just-jews-103726747.html
- jstreetdotorg.substack.com: https://jstreetdotorg.substack.com/p/were-losing-the-plot-on-antisemitism
- kevindeutsch.substack.com: https://kevindeutsch.substack.com/p/antizionist-professor-who-justifies
- jewishnews.co.uk: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/british-jewish-life-has-irrevocably-changed/