Views W hite suprema- cists continue to pose a seri- ous threat to Jews in the United States — as they do to African Americans, Muslim Americans, Latinx Americans, immigrants, LGBTQ Americans and other communities. In the year since the dead- ly rampage at Pittsburgh’ s Tree of Life synagogue, at least 12 white supremacists have been arrested for their alleged roles in terrorist plots, attacks or threats against the Jewish communi- ty specifically. Many of the offenders were inspired by previous white supremacist attacks; on the six-month anniversary of the Tree of Life attack, a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in Poway, Calif., leaving one worshipper dead and others injured. In addition to the 12 white supremacist incidents, there were two additional inci- dents targeting Jews, which were attributed to people inspired by an extremist interpretation of Islam, one of whom referred to Tree of Life shooter Robert Bowers as his inspiration. Islamist extremist Daniel Joseph was arrested by the FBI after he unwittingly worked with an undercover agent to plan an attack on a synagogue in Toledo, Ohio. He was active online, posting photos and messages in support of ISIS. In Basking Ridge, N.J., an Islamic extremist was arrested for making violent threats. Many of those arrest- ed cite — and apparently seek to mimic — previous anti-Semitic murderers. Since Oct. 27, 2018, white supremacists have targeted Jewish institutions’ proper- ty on at least 50 occasions. From the Poway synagogue attack to a religious service interrupted by shouts of “Heil Hitler,” white suprem- acists have presented very real threats to Jews across the country. This includes 12 instances of vandalism using white supremacist symbols and 35 distributions of white supremacist propaganda, according to ADL Center on Extremism research. Four days after the Tree of Life attack, a synagogue in California was defaced with obscene anti-Semitic slurs. In November 2018, a New York synagogue was vandalized with the phrase “Jews Better Be Ready ” and references to Hitler. White supremacists have also demonstrated outside AIPAC offices and Israeli consulates, and even disrupt- ed a Holocaust remembrance event in Arkansas by wav- ing swastika flags, holding anti-Semitic posters and shouting anti-Semitic slurs and phrases, including, “Six million more.” There have been at least 30 additional incidents in which individuals (of unknown ideology) commit- ted arson, vandalism or dis- tributed propaganda against Jewish institutions that was anti-Semitic or generally hateful, but not explicitly white supremacist in nature. These incidents include the shooting of an elderly man outside a synagogue in Miami, fires set at multiple Jewish institutions in New York and Massachusetts, Molotov cocktails thrown at synagogue windows in Chicago, damaged menorahs in Georgia and New Jersey, as well as a wide range of anti-Semitic graffiti. Meanwhile, analysis from ADL’ s Center on Extremism points to continued high numbers of anti-Semitic inci- dents nationwide; prelim- inary reporting shows 780 anti-Semitic incidents in the To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.djnfoundation.org The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110, Southfield, MI 48034. Arthur M. Horwitz Executive Editor/Publisher ahorwitz@renmedia.us F. 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Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Partner: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Partner: Michael H. Steinhardt Operations Manager: Andrea Gusho agusho@renmedia.us How to reach us see page 12 8 | OCTOBER 31 • 2019 1942 - 2019 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week jn commentary One Year Aft er the Tree of Life Attack American Jews Face Signifi cant Threats ADL BLOG continued on page 10