The growing number of anti-Semitic attacks also are acts of terrorism and need to come to an end, Anti-Defamation League CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said Monday, speaking out after the weekend attacks at a Monsey, New York, rabbi's home.
"It is pretty horrifying when you think about a family celebrating Hanukkah in their home lighting the menorah only to have a man with a machete burst in hacking away," Greenblatt told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "There's a reason why the Orthodox community, in particular, is scared because when they are being attacked while they are shopping the supermarkets or worshiping in their synagogue or literally celebrating in their homes, that isn't just anti-Semitic, although we need to recognize that, it is also anti-American. It is terror and it needs to stop. Enough is enough."
Greenblatt said the ADL welcomed Gov. Andrew Cuomo's statements calling such attacks domestic terrorism, as they aren't only crimes directed against Orthodox individuals but against the entire Jewish community. However, he complained that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has not been on target with the growing number of attacks in his own community.
"Anti-Semitic acts and violence more than doubled year-over-year from 2017 to 2018 and we are talking about a year that was punctuated by the massacre in Pittsburgh, the worst anti-Semitic act of violence in American history ... there is a reason why people are afraid," he said.
He also would not place blame on one particular political party, as "anti-Semitism comes from all sides."
"You can't open up your browser without seeing anti-Semitic slander on social media, Greenblat told CNN's "New Day" in a separate interview. "It's disgusting. You can't open up the headlines without politicians and elected officials making comments about dual loyalty and Zionists and whatnot. It has to stop."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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