MID-ATLANTIC EDITION

Headlines

Manhattan Rabbi Stabbed in Hate Crime Attack
NYC Schools Face Federal Probe Over Antisemitism Allegations
St. Louis Blues Condemn 'Israel Kills' Signs at Hockey Game

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Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch: Mid-Atlantic edition, I'm Rachel Adler.

We begin with a disturbing series of alleged antisemitic attacks in Midtown Manhattan. Prosecutors say Anna Mochalova, 32, attacked two Jewish men within minutes of each other on Wednesday, October 21st. According to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Mochalova allegedly followed a 26-year-old rabbi, identified by the New York Post as Yosef, and stabbed him in the back with a syringe near West 47th Street and Fifth Avenue. Yosef told The Post he believes he was singled out because he is 'visibly Jewish.' Shortly after, prosecutors allege Mochalova bumped into a 37-year-old Jewish man wearing a yarmulke, threatening him, 'Run away from here. I have a gun. I’m going to shoot you.' The New York Police Department's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating both incidents as antisemitic, with Assistant District Attorney Emily Hong stating in court that Mochalova selected her targets because she believed them to be Jewish, according to reporting from KTSA and WIBA.

Mochalova was arrested on Saturday, October 24th, and faces charges including assault and menacing as hate crimes. Her attorney has raised the possibility of mistaken identity. Judge Linda Capitti set bail at $50,000 cash, citing the seriousness of the allegations and surveillance video evidence, as reported by the New York Post. These attacks come as the NYPD has reported a nearly 13% rise in hate crimes across the city this year, with anti-Jewish incidents comprising more than half of the total. Mochalova is due back in court on October 29th.

In education news, a national Jewish legal rights group is urging the Department of Justice to launch a federal investigation into the New York City Department of Education. The National Jewish Advocacy Center filed the request Monday, citing reports of widespread antisemitism in public schools following the October 7th attacks. As detailed by The New York Post, the center's complaint notes an increase in enrollment at Jewish schools and yeshivas, while public school populations have declined. The letter points to a prior report by United Jewish Teachers alleging at least 250 antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents in NYC schools since October 7th, 2023. A Justice Department spokesperson stated the department takes antisemitism allegations seriously and is committed to enforcing civil rights laws.

Also in education, former Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil is returning to campus for a book tour, sparking outrage among Jewish groups. Khalil was known for his involvement in anti-Israel protests at Columbia in 2023-2024 and was previously arrested and held by ICE. The event is hosted by Columbia's Center for Palestine Studies and the Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism. The Columbia University Jewish Alumni Association president, Ari Shrage, told The New York Post that the decision to invite Khalil back is appalling and suggests the university has learned nothing, particularly given the reputational damage from past protests. A Columbia spokesperson stated the university supports the right of faculty members to organize academic events and that an invitation to speak does not signify endorsement of a speaker’s views.

Finally, in St. Louis, the NHL's Blues have condemned signs displayed by fans during a game that read 'Israel Kills' and 'Free America from Israel.' Blues owner Tom Stillman called the messages 'vile messages of hate,' deeming them 'unfortunate and unforgivable,' according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Fans displaying the signs were ejected. The group responsible, identified as the 2026 Freedom Convoy, disputed the characterization, stating in a release, 'Criticizing Israel is in no way, shape or form antisemitic.' This incident, as reported by the Times of Israel and the Review-Journal, highlights the ongoing debates surrounding rhetoric related to Israel and antisemitism, and whether such expressions meet IHRA criteria for demonization or double standards.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch: Mid-Atlantic edition.

For broader coverage of antisemitism across the United States and around the world, listen to Antisemitism Watch at clockwork media dot org slash A W.

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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:
- ktsa.com: https://www.ktsa.com/woman-accused-of-stabbing-rabbi-with-syringe-in-nyc-attacked-another-jewish-man-minutes-later-prosecutors-say/
- people.com: https://people.com/woman-allegedly-stabbed-rabbi-with-syringe-targeted-another-jewish-man-then-stopped-when-third-said-he-was-muslim-12195350
- wiba.iheart.com: https://wiba.iheart.com/content/2026-10-26-woman-charged-in-nyc-rabbi-attack-allegedly-stabbed-jewish-man-earlier/
- thehill.com: https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/6169358-haverford-professor-antisemitism-arrest/
- nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2026/10/26/us-news/jewish-rights-group-calls-on-trump-admin-to-probe-nyc-schools-as-parents-pull-kids-out-of-classrooms/
- nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2026/10/26/us-news/mahmoud-khalil-headed-to-columbia-for-book-tour-outraging-jewish-alumni-apalled/
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/st-louis-blues-condemn-israel-kills-free-america-from-israel-signs-at-hockey-match/
- reviewjournal.com: https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/nhl/blues-condemn-what-they-called-an-antisemitic-protest-during-golden-knights-game-3905502/?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=section_row&utm_source=traffic&utm_term=Blues%20condemn%20what%20they%20called%20an%20antisemitic%20protest%20during%20Golden%20Knights%20game

If you've witnessed or experienced an antisemitic incident, report it to your local Jewish Federation:

In a true emergency, call 911 first.

• Middlesex & Monmouth, NJ — Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey: Report an incident

• Greater MetroWest, NJ (Essex, Morris, Union, Somerset) — Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ: Report an incident

• Northern NJ (Bergen, Hudson, Passaic) — Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey: Report an incident

• Greater Philadelphia — Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia: Report an incident

• NYC, Long Island, Westchester & Rockland — UJA-Federation of New York: Responding to antisemitism