[Summit] Anti-semitic incidents

[Bresler E]

We have been having a problem with a group of not-kids-anymore (they were in
college when it started) for about five years now.  Some of them, including
a driver of a dark blue compact, live back in that circle of houses off Cole
which backs up to the Brown soccer field. The police knew who some of those
"kids" were. This may also be their work.

Over a period of 4 - 5 years (I think), primarily at school vacation and
over the summer, visibly Jewish people, and Jewish institutions were
sporadically egged.  I wear an obvious head covering and have had eggs
thrown at me on three occasions: alone, walking with my husband and walking
with another religious lady and her baby in a stroller, who was nearly hit.
A Jewish owned store. A home with a car in the drive way with bumper
stickers about Israel. On the sidewalk in front of a shul, in front of the
JCC. This is what I happened to see myself.

The JCC was plastered- rendered disgusting with eggs on three occasions, and
one time they hit it so hard, they set off the alarms.  On that occasion,
around midnight,  I happened to be driving nearby and heard them.  I had the
keys to the back area, because I was working at the Mikveh at that time, and
after I let the cops into the area, we discussed the problem.  (That was the
third egging in a few weeks)  I told him how the small blue car disappeared
into the residential area on the other side of the field after egging me and
my friend with the child, and he told me that they knew, they were back
there and who they were.  He said the police were working on it.

After that I saw a break in the eggings of about a year, but I think it was
also Sept- and they may have gone away to school.

But they have still happened sporadically. Probably there are many I don't
see or hear about.  Just before the plant trashings, our porch was egged on
the Sabbath, right after my husband left for Shul wearing his tallis.  Last
June a neighbor's house was egged.  Interestingly his immediate response
was- "How did they know I was Jewish???"  I pointed to the bumper sticker on
his car.

You also may remember the incident of the trashing of all the plants along
Hope Street?  I could not help notice that all the damage was done to
Blacks, Jews, Indians and a Gay frequented restaurant, except I don't know
anything about Frog and Toad.  Other people's garden's were not invaded, to
my knowledge.

Alcohol may play a role in this; Saturday night, graduation party night,
extremely hot nights, now New Years Eve seem to bring out this trash
behavior.

The signs, though amateurish, are scarier to me, because they are an attempt
brag, and encourage others.

The circle symbols on the first tombstone, for those who don't know, are the
discreet markings put on commercial foods that has been checked by a trained
individual and determined to be kosher.  The Hebrew letters above are an
abbreviation for a blessing.  However they are scrawled in the way of
someone familiar with writing them frequently.  I hope there is not a
disturbed Jew involved in this!

I am glad to see the neighborhood will not tolerate this.  For some of us
this is very frightening.  Thank you Paul for bringing this to our
attention.

Elianna

cc to Lt Schiavulli

On Jan 1, 2008 12:19 PM, <ccancro at cox.net> wrote:

> Thank you, Paul, for having the wisdom to pull down these signs, scan one,
> and alert Lieutenant Schiavullo.  I've taken the liberty of cc'ing this
> exchange to the RI CLU and the New England region of the Anti-Defamation
> League.
>
> My husband's first cousin once removed was murdered in Auschwitz, so this
> is pretty close to home.  And while many moons ago I worked on a resource
> guide to the Holocaust, I don't know how to begin addressing hate crimes.
>
> Here's hoping we can get some good feedback from the police, the RI CLU,
> or the ADL.  And for what it's worth, I wish you all a happy new year.
>
> Carol C.
>
>
> ---- Greg Gerritt <gerritt at mindspring.com> wrote:
> > Yes.  greg
> >
> >
> > on 1/1/08 10:49 AM, Elizabeth Grossman at egrossman1 at cox.net wrote:
> >
> > > Do you think a word to the police is in order and perhaps a heads up
> to civil
> > > liberties and anti-defamation groups? Elizabeth
> > > On Jan 1, 2008, at 6:18 AM, Paul Aceto wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >> I went out early this morning to get a newspaper at the coin box on
> Hope
> > >> near Rochambeau. I noticed a sign on the pole next to the box that
> caught my
> > >> eye. The headline said "JUDENRAT". and below it were three
> tombstones.
> > >> Needless to say, I was shocked. I saw that other poles nearby had the
> same
> > >> sign. I removed four signs between Rochambeau and the library. I
> scanned the
> > >> sign and put it on the web so others could see it.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> http://members.cox.net/pjaceto/1_1_08.jpg
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Paul Aceto
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> __________________
> >
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sna.providence.ri.us/pipermail/summit_sna.providence.ri.us/attachments/20080101/3d40503b/attachment.htm>