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NYC Jewish History Center Targeted with "Nuke Jews" Threat · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. We're also
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  Speaker 1: launching Antisemitism Watch, Mid-Atlantic, covering New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,
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  Speaker 1: and the Philadelphia region. Find us at clockworkmedia.org slash m. A,
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  Speaker 1: we begin with a direct threat found in New York City.
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  Speaker 1: A hate note bearing the message, nuke Jews, save lives,
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  Speaker 1: was discovered by the security team at the entrance of
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  Speaker 1: the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan. According to reporting
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  Speaker 1: reviewed for this episode, The author of the note sought
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  Speaker 1: to avoid suspicion of ulterior motives by framing their hateful
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  Speaker 1: message as a means to save lives, a tactic that
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  Speaker 1: echoes historical antisemitic justifications. Internationally, authorities arrested at least a
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  Speaker 1: dozen fans of the Hajduk split football team in Split, Croatia,
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  Speaker 1: following an antisemitic rally that clashed with officers and disrupted
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  Speaker 1: a match. Reporting indicates these fans chanted pro-Nazi slogans and
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  Speaker 1: paid tribute to to the Nazi regime and Adolf Hitler
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  Speaker 1: during a march. The actions have drawn national condemnation. Closer
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  Speaker 1: to home, in Florida, a campaign sign for State Rep.
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  Speaker 1: Gervon Edmonds was defaced with a racial slur and a swastika.
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  Speaker 1: State Rep. Edmonds described the incident as heartbreaking, noting its
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  Speaker 1: impact on children. He stated he wanted to spread the
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  Speaker 1: message that this agony still lurks in Palm Beach County,
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  Speaker 1: according to CBS 12 reporting. Similar vandalism was also reported
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  Speaker 1: by WPBF. On college campuses, the University of Pittsburgh issued
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  Speaker 1: a crime alert after two reports of anti-Semitic graffiti were
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  Speaker 1: found on its grounds this week. According to Odyssey, Pitt
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  Speaker 1: police are seeking information from the public regarding these incidents.
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  Speaker 1: In political discourse, the Jewish Democratic Council of America has
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  Speaker 1: launched an ad campaign targeting young voters. The campaign criticizes
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  Speaker 1: the Republican Party under Donald Trump for embracing extremism and antisemitism,
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  Speaker 1: focusing on messages from young Republican group chats that included
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  Speaker 1: praise for Hitler. Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly excused these
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  Speaker 1: remarks as edgy, offensive jokes. This initiative is reported by
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  Speaker 1: JTA and the Jewish Democratic Council of America. The critical
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  Speaker 1: debate over defining antisemitism continues to shape political discourse. Reporting
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  Speaker 1: from JNS highlights criticism of New York City Mayor Zoran
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  Speaker 1: Mamdani's administration, for not adopting the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.
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  Speaker 1: The article argues that anti-Zionism qualifies as antisemitic under IHRA
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  Speaker 1: criteria and criticizes the Biden administration's national strategy to combat
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism for failing to clearly articulate this position. This, the
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  Speaker 1: report contends, has emboldened actions like college encampments and the
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  Speaker 1: harassment of Jewish students. Also in political commentary, Seth Mandel
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  Speaker 1: of Commentary suggests former President Barack Obama harbors animosity towards Israel,
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  Speaker 1: citing remarks made in a recent speech where he claimed,
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  Speaker 1: Jewish people took land in the Middle East. Mandel counters
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  Speaker 1: that Jews legally purchased land, rather than displacing people, according
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  Speaker 1: to reporting reviewed for this episode. Internationally, members of Germany's
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  Speaker 1: Jewish Student Union blocked politician Hans-Thomas Tilschneider from attending a
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  Speaker 1: ceremony honouring victims of a 2019 antisemitic attack, accusing him
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  Speaker 1: of minimising its motive. Anit reports that police have launched
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  Speaker 1: an insult investigation. Turning to institutional responses, in Dublin, Ireland,
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  Speaker 1: the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland is considering legal action
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  Speaker 1: against the Herbert Park Hotel. The hotel cancelled bookings for
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  Speaker 1: 70 delegates attending a conference on combating antisemitism. Maurice Cohen,
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  Speaker 1: chairman of the council, stated that questions from hotel management
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  Speaker 1: about the IDF and Israel revealed how quickly Jewish identity
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  Speaker 1: can be collapsed into Israel and how quickly suspicion can
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  Speaker 1: become discrimination, according to the Irish Times. In New York City, officials,
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  Speaker 1: including the city council's antisemitism task force, have filed a
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  Speaker 1: formal complaint with Amazon. They are demanding the removal of
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  Speaker 1: an animatronic Halloween witch decoration that features a Star of David.
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  Speaker 1: The task force argued that the decoration, which was reportedly
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  Speaker 1: found disturbing by one homeowner, could be perceived as demeaning
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  Speaker 1: and incite violence against the Jewish community, according to the
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  Speaker 1: New York Post. On a policy front, Colombia is exploring
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  Speaker 1: membership in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, a move signaling
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  Speaker 1: deepening ties with Israel. The Jerusalem Post reports that this
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  Speaker 1: consideration follows the recent inauguration of Colombia's embassy in Jerusalem
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  Speaker 1: and discussions between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Colombian
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  Speaker 1: Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you
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  Speaker 1: for listening to Antisemitism Watch. For focused coverage from New York,
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  Speaker 1: New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Philadelphia region, listen to Antisemitism Watch,
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  Speaker 1: midatlantic at clockworkmedia.org slash m a. Follow Antisemitism Watch in
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  Speaker 1: your podcast app so you don't miss the next update.
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  Speaker 1: This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies.
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  Speaker 1: Please verify important details with primary sources.