Riverdale shul windows smashed

Last week, Riverdale’s congressman figuratively threw Israel under a bus, supporting anti-Israel legislation pushed by the “Squad.” This week, an anti-Semite literally threw rocks at the windows of four of the community’s synagogues, smashing some of them.

Police say they believe one culprit is reponsible for seven incidents over three days. The synagogues affected are the Riverdale Jewish Center, Chabad Lubavitch of Riverdale, Young Israel of Riverdale, and Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale.

During one of three attacks on the Riverdale Jewish Center, the perpetrator was confronted by volunteers trained by Community Security Services. The man hurled rocks at the volunteers before fleeing. None of the volunteers were injured.

In a Zoom call on Sunday with Jewish community leaders, NYPD personnel, elected officials and security groups, the suspect was described as “violent” and “dangerous,” Algemeiner reported.

The RJC was first targeted by the assailant on Thursday night, when thrown rocks smashed the synagogue’s glass doors, and then again on Saturday night along with the three other Jewish institutions, and again Monday morning.

“From a security perspective, we are concerned that Jewish institutions are being harassed or vandalized for the third consecutive time in one week,” said Evan Bernstein, CEO and national director of CSS, which trains volunteers to help secure Jewish synagogues and institutions. “The eyewitness accounts of our volunteers, coupled with footage of the alleged perpetrator days before committing the acts, represents a clear desire to inflict harm on the Jewish community.”

In a tweet on Sunday that linked to a news report on the vandalism, Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote “UPDATE: The NYPD Hate Crimes task force has a solid lead on the vile acts of anti-Semitism in the Bronx, and we will take swift action against the perpetrators.”

An “appalled” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said “we have no tolerance for discriminatory acts that seek to divide us rather than bring us together.”

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, whose congressional district includes Riverdale and who was derided on the cover of last week’s Jewish Star for supporting anti-Israel legislation, posted on social media: “We are angered, saddened and disturbed to hear of the anti-Semitic hate crimes in Riverdale. Riverdale is an inclusionary, accepting and loving community. Riverdale is a resilient community, and hate has no home there, or anywhere in our district, state or country.

“We condemn these hate crimes, and we and recognize the need to name the threat against our Jewish family and address it head-on. As we see a continued rise in anti-Semitism, we must remain vigilant and come together in love and care for one another — and against anti-Semitic hate.”

Meanwhile, a string of New York City progressive activists and political candidates called on Monday to scale back the increased police protection of Jewish sites instituted after the Riverdale assaults.

Sasha Parsley Kesler, Special Projects Manager to the Chief of Staff at NYC Department of Social Services, issued a lengthy Twitter thread that questioned the use of enhanced security for the Jewish community.

She said she favors “another way to respond to this violence, one that does not invite further militarized policing of our streets & communities.”

“I understand the gut reaction in white Jewish communities to look to police as our protectors,” she went on. “And we all know that more policing does not make us ALL safer. Riverdale is a diverse community — I do not want the attempts to secure my safety to threaten that of others.”

“Jewish safety & dignity are intertwined with that of all communities,” Kesler wrote. “My fellow Jews — here is a moment for us to do something different. To radically reimagine who protects us. Our neighbors protect us. We protect us. Join me?”

Aaron Ghitelman, press secretary for state Senator Brad Hoylman, who is running for Manhattan borough president, commented, “Sasha summing it up perfectly.”

The Orthodox Union on Tuesday expressed gratitude “to the New York Police Derpartment and its Hate Crimes Task Force for their efforts to stop these assults; more must be done to keep such acts from occuring.”

The OU said it was “horrified by the multiple attacks upon our community in New York” and called on Congress to double funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program “so that more synagogues and other terror targets can better secure themselves against such vile hatred and assaults.”

The Jewish Riverdale Community Partnership, speaking on behalf of two dozen spiritual leaders and institutions, wrote on Sunday that “an attack on any synagogue is an attack on all synagogues, all Jewish institutions, and all houses of worship. We will stand strong against hate and will continue to celebrate being Jewish, engage in our personal, institutional and communal activities and support one another.”