My family and I live in Leonia, New Jersey. A quiet, vastly diverse community four miles from New York City. For almost 30 years we have lived here, raised three children and attended shul, with one daughter even making aliyah, all without incident — until now.
On Friday, March 7, a friend of mine rang my doorbell to share photos she took of three kids trespassing onto our front lawn, stealing our “We Support Israel” sign, desecrating it, and spewing words of hate. All captured in photos, shared with the Leonia Police Department and the mayor. Unfortunately, we were told not much can be done because they are “juveniles.”
Fast forward to the next week, another afternoon before Shabbat, I arrive home early to find a swastika drawn on the doorframe of the front door. Another police report is filed. Wait, it gets better. I attended the Purim spiel at Adas Emuno on Sunday and learned the same teen who committed hateful acts at my home is also tormenting and bullying my friend’s son at Leonia Middle School. The parents of the victim went to file a police report and were told there is nothing they can do. She was left in tears feeling unsupported and unable to help or protect her son.
How do we address hate? Historically this is not a new issue — just a new generation. Torah teaches us ve’ahavta l’rei’cha k’mocha. Hopefully through a combination of raising awareness, education, advocacy, community building, interfaith dialogue and legal action aimed at addressing antisemitism, our community will be united on the strengths of its differences. Please feel free to offer suggestions and feedback to [email protected].
