Antisemitic Graffiti in Cobble Hill Sparks Outrage as Jewish New Yorkers Confront Surge in Hate Crimes

By: Ariella Haviv – Jewish Voice News

Authorities in New York City are investigating yet another act of antisemitic vandalism after graffiti reading “F**k Jews” was discovered scrawled on a sidewalk in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn over the weekend — an incident that draw attention to the growing fears over the surge in hate crimes targeting the Jewish community.

According to a report that appeared early on Sunday at Israel National News, the hateful message was discovered early Saturday morning by local residents, who immediately alerted officials. City Council member Lincoln Restler, whose district includes parts of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, shared footage of the graffiti on social media, calling it a “disgusting act of hate” and praising the city’s sanitation workers for their rapid response.

“Antisemitic incidents are a majority of the hate crimes in NYC,” Restler wrote. “All New Yorkers — including Jewish New Yorkers — must feel safe in our city.” He confirmed that NYC Sanitation crews had swiftly cleaned the defaced sidewalk and removed all traces of the slur within hours of the report.

The incident, which follows a series of antisemitic acts reported in recent weeks, has provoked sharp condemnation from city, state, and federal officials, including Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Rep. Elise Stefanik.

In a rare statement addressing an antisemitic incident directly, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whose election victory has drawn scrutiny due to his past anti-Israel statements, posted on X: “Another horrific act of antisemitism on our streets. We cannot stand for this.”

Mamdani’s statement came as the Israel National News report noted heightened tensions within the city’s Jewish community, where fears of increased hostility have been rising since his election earlier this month. Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has previously supported the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and accused the NYPD of being “laced by the IDF” — remarks that sparked outrage among Jewish leaders across New York.

Despite his record, Mamdani’s quick denunciation of the graffiti was echoed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who called the act “a disgusting, cowardly display of antisemitism that has no place in New York.”

“We stand with our Jewish communities today and always,” Hochul said in a statement shared by Israel National News, adding that she has directed the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to assist in the investigation.

Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who recently declared her candidacy for governor against Hochul, also condemned the vandalism. “Another vile act of antisemitism in New York,” Stefanik wrote. “The criminal cowards responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Stefanik’s remarks, reported by Israel National News, reflect broader frustration among elected officials over what many describe as a “steady and dangerous normalization” of antisemitic expression in public spaces across New York City.

The graffiti incident comes amid alarming new statistics showing that antisemitic hate crimes once again accounted for the majority of bias-related offenses in New York City.

According to data released by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on the eve of the mayoral election, Jewish New Yorkers were the victims in 62 percent of all hate crimes recorded in October.

Out of a total of 47 hate crime incidents reported that month, 29 were antisemitic in nature, marking one of the highest monthly totals since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.

Police officials said that while other categories of hate crime, including anti-Black and anti-Asian incidents, showed little change, antisemitic offenses continued to rise, largely fueled by what authorities describe as “imported political hostility” following global reactions to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force has reportedly increased patrols and surveillance in Jewish neighborhoods, including Borough Park, Williamsburg, and Midwood, but incidents have persisted — ranging from graffiti and vandalism to harassment, verbal abuse, and physical assaults.

As the Israel National News report noted, Jewish residents have increasingly expressed frustration with the perceived lack of deterrence for perpetrators, many of whom are released without bail.

Adding to the unease, another antisemitic incident occurred on the very day of Zohran Mamdani’s election victory. According to the information provided in the Israel National News report, swastikas were spray-painted on the exterior walls of Magen David Yeshiva, a prominent Jewish school in Brooklyn, just hours after polls closed.

The school’s staff discovered the graffiti early the next morning and reported it to police. The incident remains under investigation by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force, but no arrests have been made.

Community leaders described the defacement as “especially chilling,” noting its timing and the broader climate of fear among Jewish New Yorkers since Mamdani’s rise to prominence.

“This was a deliberate act of intimidation,” one local rabbi told Israel National News, adding that Jewish educators and parents have had to increase private security and coordinate closely with police to ensure student safety.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned both the Cobble Hill and Magen David Yeshiva incidents, calling them “manifestations of a deeply troubling pattern of antisemitism that has gripped New York in the aftermath of October 7.”

The latest graffiti incident has reignited debate over whether political rhetoric in the city has contributed to a hostile environment for Jews.

As Israel National News reported, many within the Jewish community have accused certain progressive and socialist officials — including Mamdani and members of the Democratic Socialists of America — of fostering an atmosphere that emboldens antisemitic acts by framing Israel as an “oppressor” and Jewish identity as inherently political.

Council Member Lincoln Restler, while condemning the graffiti, acknowledged that “words matter,” saying that the current political climate in New York has become “too permissive of hate.”

“Antisemitism doesn’t arise in a vacuum,” Restler told reporters. “We need to confront the ideologies that make these acts seem acceptable to those who commit them.”

Meanwhile, local Jewish leaders have appealed to Mayor-elect Mamdani to take concrete steps beyond issuing statements. Israel National News reported that the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and several Brooklyn synagogues have requested a meeting with the incoming mayor to discuss public safety and hate crime enforcement.

“We need to know that this administration will act decisively to protect Jewish New Yorkers,” one organizer said. “Condemnations are important, but action is what restores confidence.”

Governor Hochul has directed state resources to support investigations into antisemitic offenses, citing the troubling trend in the latest crime statistics. The New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force has been working in coordination with the NYPD, the Department of Education, and community organizations to increase vigilance around religious institutions and schools.

As Israel National News reported, federal officials are also monitoring the situation closely. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York recently reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting hate crimes “to the fullest extent permitted under federal law.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division told Israel National News that “antisemitic incidents, whether verbal, written, or physical, are violations of the principles that define American democracy.”

Community response in Cobble Hill and surrounding areas has been swift and unified. Local synagogues, including Congregation Kane Street and Chabad of Brooklyn Heights, issued joint statements condemning the vandalism and calling for solidarity across communities.

In a letter circulated Sunday evening, the synagogues urged residents to remain alert but not fearful. “We will not be intimidated by hate,” the letter said. “Brooklyn’s Jewish community has stood strong for generations, and we will continue to do so with courage and dignity.”

The NYPD continues to investigate both the Cobble Hill graffiti and the vandalism at Magen David Yeshiva. Officials have not indicated whether the two incidents are connected.

As Israel National News reported, law enforcement agencies have encouraged anyone with information to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline, reminding New Yorkers that anonymous tips leading to arrests can qualify for cash rewards.

The latest incident adds to a growing catalogue of antisemitic hate crimes that have plagued New York City in recent months. According to the report at Israel National News, Jewish residents — particularly those in visible Orthodox neighborhoods — remain the primary targets.

Despite repeated condemnations from elected officials, advocates say hate crimes against Jews are rising faster than any other category, signaling a deeper cultural and political problem that transcends isolated acts of vandalism.

For many Jewish New Yorkers, the defaced sidewalk in Cobble Hill is not just another crime scene but a symbol of a city struggling to reconcile its progressive ideals with an increasingly toxic undercurrent of hate — one that demands urgent attention before it escalates further.