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Local leaders support Jewish community shaken by troubling rise in antisemitism

Published  October 31, 2023 5:31pm EDT
Camden County
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Local leaders support Jewish community shaken by troubling rise in antisemitism

Members of local Jewish communities gathered were supported Tuesday by elected officials and members of law enforcement amid a troubling spike in antisemitism.

PHILADELPHIA - Members of local Jewish communities gathered were supported Tuesday by elected officials and members of law enforcement amid a troubling spike in antisemitism.

The Anti-Defamation League reports a 380% spike in Antiemetic incidents since the start of the war between Israel and terror group Hamas.

"First and foremost, people feel a tremendous sense of sadness and grief over what took place in Israel, then there's that fear of what we're seeing in our community here," said Rabbi Bryan Wexler of Temple Beth Shalom. 

Law enforcement in Cherry Hill, New Jersey has been made aware of incidents at a local high school with swirling antisemitic social media campaigns. Chief Robert Kempf from the Cherry Hill Police Department said they're working with several agencies including the FBI and county prosecutor's office to "investigate and eradicate."

Congressman Donald Norcross, who represents New Jersey's 1st District that covers parts of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties, said the reported rise in antisemitism in schools is "unacceptable." 

"It wasn't just high school, it's taking place in our middle schools, in a couple cases in our elementary schools, which tells us that this is a learned behavior from home, from social media," Congressman Norcross said. "The idea of attacking people simply because of their religious beliefs in a country that was founded on religious freedom is unacceptable."

A striking display of baby carriages sits outside the Katz Jewish Community Center in Cherry Hill, representing the children that have been kidnapped since the start of the war in Israel. For those in the Jewish community, it also represents their collective heartbreak.

"We're humans, seeing that carriage just brings back pure love for our children and why this was unacceptable and why we all stand here praying for peace," a Jewish community leader said. "We're hurting, we're scared, and we need people outside of our Jewish community to stand up with us."