Antisemitism Watch

Man to stand trial for threatening to "shoot up" California Jewish community center
Widower seeks hate crime charges after wife's fatal hit-and-run in Queens
JD Vance defends Tucker Carlson amid criticism over antisemitic rhetoric

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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

Welcome to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler, reporting from New York City. Today, we're tracking disturbing threats and ongoing debates about antisemitism's reach.

In California, a man is headed to trial on felony hate crime charges for allegedly threatening to 'shoot up' a Jewish community center in Redondo Beach. Prosecutors say Paul Dean Andrews, 43, made antisemitic statements during calls on August 11th and 13th to the center, where hundreds of children were present. During the final call, authorities allege he threatened to 'shoot up the place.' According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, this comes after Andrews had violated a previous hate crime diversion program related to a gun case.

In Queens, New York, a widower is seeking antisemitic hate crime charges against the driver whose car killed his wife. Michael Trager alleges the driver, Dawood Faisal, had twice vandalized a local Jewish business in the weeks prior to the fatal incident, according to The Post. Trager's wife, Cara, was struck and killed on Memorial Day by a speeding car. Trager believes the alleged vandalism and the incident's location in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood raise troubling questions about the suspect's motive, according to The Post. Police have filed additional charges against Faisal for the business vandalism.

On the political front, Vice President JD Vance is facing scrutiny over his close ties to Tucker Carlson. When pressed by reporters and at a Republican Jewish Coalition summit about Carlson's history of promoting antisemitism, Vance defended Carlson as a 'friend,' according to Media Matters. Vance deflected concerns, suggesting political disagreements should not dictate friendships, while the article notes Carlson has been instrumental in Vance's political rise and has himself made controversial statements about race and politics.

Separately, Congressman Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin appeared on a podcast hosted by an individual who has made antisemitic remarks, including suggesting Hitler 'actually done some good things,' according to WisDems. During the appearance, Tiffany did not refuse an offer for election denier Scott Presler to volunteer for his campaign.

In the entertainment world, actress Jane Fonda defended actor Mark Ruffalo after Paramount accused him of invoking antisemitic tropes in his opposition to the Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount merger. Ruffalo denied the accusation, calling it 'appalling and fundamentally dishonest' and stating his criticism was of Israeli government policy, not Jewish people. More than 180 Jewish entertainers and artists signed a letter supporting Ruffalo, characterizing the accusation as a 'weaponization of antisemitism,' according to Variety. However, Rabbi Yaakov Menken told Fox News Digital that these figures need to be educated on antisemitism.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's visit to a Borough Park Judaica store ahead of Rosh Hashanah has drawn criticism. While Mamdani shared his engagement with the Jewish community, NYC Council member Inna Vernikov called the visit an 'embarrassment' and a 'photo op,' stating it allowed him to appear as an ally while he continues to promote anti-Israel views, according to JNS. The store's owner later issued a clarification, stating the store did not invite Mamdani and was not involved in gift-giving. This comes as NYPD data shows anti-Jewish hate crimes account for a significant portion of the city's reported hate crimes.

In Switzerland, demonstrators at a protest chanted 'Death to Zionism,' praised Hamas, and called for the destruction of Israel, according to firsthand documentation by the Combat Antisemitism Movement.

Nationwide, the crisis of antisemitism continues to affect American education. Reports indicate it is being tolerated and encouraged by administrators and faculty in K-12 schools and colleges, with legal advocacy groups like The Deborah Project winning cases, such as forcing Haverford College to adopt new standards to address anti-Zionist and antisemitic behavior on campus.

On the policy front, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued new guidance warning medical institutions they will face sanctions for allowing anti-Jewish discrimination. The guidance, detailed by The Algemeiner, covers patient care, clinical training, and administration, stressing equal access without discrimination. This follows reports of antisemitism in healthcare settings.

In Canada, an Ontario university was ordered to pay $7,000 in damages. The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario found that while the university did not discriminate in firing a teaching assistant over alleged antisemitic remarks, the university president breached confidentiality by emailing an advocacy group to confirm the dismissal, according to reporting. The tribunal noted this constituted adverse treatment due to a 'power gap' between the president and student.

In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow will not attend an upcoming debate on antisemitism, citing it occurs before her campaign officially launches. This decision has drawn criticism from opponents, who will participate, as concerns grow about Chow's stance on rising antisemitism in the city.

Reflecting these ongoing concerns, Jewish institutions across North America are spending a record $1 billion on security measures this year, according to reporting.

However, there are efforts to combat these challenges head-on. The nonprofit IMPACT is training seniors and adults in social media skills to become 'digital defenders' against antisemitism and Jew-hatred. This program empowers individuals to share information and counter online hate from their homes, aiming to build a new generation of educated advocates.

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

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

📚 Sources

Sources:
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