On October 8th, during the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, anti-Semitic graffiti was found on the steps of the side entrance to Yale Law School. A white, spray-painted swastika written above the word “Trump” was soon covered with black paint and a doormat. Two days later, Yale Law School Dean of Students Ellen Cosgrove issued a statement explaining that this behavior is contradictory to the values Yale aims to uphold: “We are saddened by this act of hate against our community at any time but understand that this is particularly difficult occurring between the High Holy Days. Diversity and inclusion are core values of our institution and attacks against individual students or communities will not be tolerated.”
Not even 24 hours later, as Jews all around the world celebrated Yom Kippur, a gunman began a live stream, got in his car, and drove to a synagogue in Halle, Germany. He pulled out his gun and started shooting at the synagogue’s door: and when he was unable to knock it down, he shot two people. This attack comes just weeks before the anniversary of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. The Halle shooting was not the only attack on Jewish beliefs this Yom Kippur: anti-Semitic stickers and posters were found at the Garden of Remembrance, a Holocaust memorial in White Plains, New York. Anti-Semitic writing was found outside the garden, and more graffiti inside the garden.
All of these incidents are just the latest indications of a much larger problem: the increase in anti-Semitic behavior all around the world. And while there might be people trying to divide us, we will always refuse to let hate win. Join us on November 6th at a memorial remembering the 11 people who died in the Pittsburgh shooting.
