A shul in Tucson was vandalized on Tuesday; the perpetrator(s) wrote the phrases “End Apartheid” and “Abolish Israel.”
State Representative Alma Hernandez, a woman of the Jewish faith, publicized the attack in an X post on Tuesday. Hernandez said a rabbi, Yehuda Ceitlin, reported the vandalism to her.
“Anti-Zionism is Antisemitism, period and this hate is NOT welcomed in Tucson!” said Hernandez. “I will continue to stand with my Jewish community. This is a synagogue NOT a political office. Shameful that it’s 2025 and we keep seeing this vile targeting of the Jewish community.”
Ceitlin reported in an X post of his own that Tuesday’s attack was the second of its kind in three years against a Chabad Jewish center in Tucson.
“This hate must stop!” stated Ceitlin.
This is the second time in 3 years that a Chabad Jewish center in Tucson is being vandalized with antisemitic graffiti.
This hate must stop! https://t.co/o5VcheiCTZ
— Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin (@YehudaCeitlin) April 22, 2025
With a new administration in place, this alleged attack of antisemitism likely falls under the purview of federal investigators.
In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing an effort to combat antisemitism.
Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate not only threats of terrorism and acts of arson or violence, but also any vandalism that occurs.
“I will issue clear orders to my Attorney General to aggressively prosecute terroristic threats, arson, vandalism and violence against American Jews,” said Trump in his executive order.
The order also required federal executive departments and leaders to report all criminal and civil authorities and actions available for fighting anti-Semitism.
“My promise to Jewish Americans is this: With your vote, I will be your defender, your protector, and I will be the best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House,” said Trump.
Last year, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) documented over 9,300 antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault across the country — a five percent increase from the over 8,800 incidents in 2023.
Of those thousands of incidents, about 120 occurred in Arizona. The majority occurred in New York (over 1,400 incidents) and California (over 1,300 incidents).
The 120 incidents last year marked a slight decline in incidents from 2023, where about 160 occurred: an average of 1.61 incidents per 100,000 residents. Even with the slight decline from 2023 to 2024, the number of incidents last year were well over double what occurred in 2022 (about 50 incidents).
ADL said this five percent increase marked a total 344 percent increase over the past five years and a nearly 900 percent increase over the past decade. ADL has issued an annual report on antisemitic attacks since 1979. The recent years’ increase in incidents marked the highest number to occur since the ADL’s first year of tracking.
Last year, there were over 6,500 reported incidents of harassment, over 2,600 incidents of vandalism, and nearly 200 incidents of assault nationwide.
Per the ADL, the significant rise in antisemitic incidents directly following the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel in October 2023.
The rise in antisemitism in public spaces and college campuses prompted Arizona State University (ASU) to partner with the ADL. Earlier this month, ASU and ADL put on a conference addressing antisemitism: Rising Above Together.
The Far Left has not changed. They push harder on their sick agenda.
So…. the totalitarian fascist liberals want to call President Trump “Hitler”. Meanwhile, they are vandalizing Jewish houses of worship and doing all the other “resist” BS like vandalizing Tesla dealerships, vandalizing works of art in the name of climate change, etc…… Just how much of this are we expected to tolerate?? (asking for a friend).
I’m not Jewish, but I support the Jewish people and a Jewish homeland (I guess that makes me a Zionist), but I vehemently disagree that, “Anti-Zionism is Antisemitism, period.” No country, regardless of why it was founded, is beyond reproach. Personally, I support Israel in ridding herself of Hamas/the PLO once and for all, and if that means removing all the terrorist-sympathizers from the West Bank, then so be it. However, criticizing Israel is not antisemitism, and as we’ve seen too often from the Left, using a word loosely and ambiguously ultimately degrades the meaning and power of the word.
Secondly, I’m disappointed – though not surprised – that Mayes isn’t all over the airwaves denouncing this vandalism and intimidation. If this were on a mosque she would be foaming at the mouth and falling all over herself with righteous indignation; her office would spare no expense or resource to identify, arrest, and prosecute (persecute) the offender. Also, when Muslims outnumber Jews better than 120:1, how are the disavowed Jordanians (faithlessly termed “Palestinians” by the KGB), the under-represented, disaffected, and oppressed minority? Make it make sense.
Lastly, I take issue with Trump (whom I generally support) issuing a royal decree that all claims of antisemitic acts are ipso facto in the federal domain. I understand this unconstitutional usurpation of State & local law enforcement autonomy predates him, and likewise I’ve long opposed it regardless of justification, but that doesn’t excuse his overreach.
These folks are hitlerites as the muslins of the 30-40’s were trying to eliminate the jews and this is just a continuation of the mullahs wishes. It is amaziing that the ‘palistinian’ supporters who are against the jews MUST also be AGAINST CHRISTIANS as they say nothing about the thousands KILLED by the muslins in AFRICA! You do know that muslins were not found in all the middle east right? That is until the followers of mohammed said join us or DIE, so many took the easy way out an now have to offer the same declaration to the rest of us.
Gee, the FBI is still looking for the pipe bombers from J6. They can find people thousands of miles away that were only on the grounds on J6 but can’t seem to find people that fire bomb churches, anti-abortion clinics and the like. This too will go unsolved, especially in the armpit of AZ.
1948 end of the war – ISRAEL was AGAIN A NATION – after 2000 years of being dispersal about the earth – three more prominent regions – EU – Russia – Iran ; no place was HOME for the JEW. End of WWII Israel was ‘born’ again! as a nation. Offered to live with those of Palestine – were willing to die then. Those powers of the middle east declined the offer of co-existence – immediately declaring war – 5 nations came against ISRAEL and LOST! Hmmmm tough to beat prophecy. The parable of the FIG – without an ARMY – the Golda Mire as the first leader of the nation – ISRAEL WON ! That is prophecy fulfilled. It’s not stopped and is in progress as we sit here reading, watching, waiting.
Buckle up! Jesus is LORD! Promised Israel – was born a JEW.. interesting