MUST READ: Seth Mandel explains what New York's Jews are up against — and why it's so important they protect themselves

Earlier this week, a Hasidic man was viciously attacked in Brooklyn by a brick-wielding thug:

This morning, at 7:45am, my father in law went for his morning walk, like he always does. Suddenly a man started yelling at him, and started chasing him, holding a huge brick. pic.twitter.com/YTVmlJ0msj

— Benny Friedman (@BennysMusic) August 27, 2019

He threw this huge brick at my father in law. My FIL says there was no question this man had murder on his mind. My father in law tried to defend himself. He is in hospital now with a broken nose, missing teeth, stitches on his head and lacerations on his body.

— Benny Friedman (@BennysMusic) August 27, 2019

That man was only the latest victim in a string of often very violent anti-Semitic attacks in New York.

And then yesterday came this:

Today, Rockland County Republicans released a campaign video depicting a “storm brewing” locally, juxtaposing Orthodox Jewish developments versus images of “our families”. The *right* families, apparently.

“Take back control,” they urge.

Watch it:https://t.co/itM1YGtlyB pic.twitter.com/IkkUbyjBrw

— Avital Chizhik Goldschmidt (@avitalrachel) August 29, 2019

With throbbing, ominous music playing in the background, the video, titled “A storm is brewing in Rockland,” warns that over-development threatens the area.

“Aron Wieder and his Ramapo bloc are plotting a takeover,” the written message overlaying the video declares, referring to the Hasidic Jewish Rockland County legislator who supports multi-family development. “If they win, we lose.”

Sickening.

This is profoundly ugly stuff.

I can see why these conflicts feel zero-sum to Rocklanders but where are the adults? https://t.co/5RL8IF0rZy

— Michael Brendan Dougherty (@michaelbd) August 29, 2019

The video is worse than I could imagine. Freaking Fritz Hippler stuffer. It's AWFUL. https://t.co/kaDTQ1inBy

— Mordechai Lightstone (@Mottel) August 29, 2019

Orthodox Jews are sick of being victimized & discriminated against.
A line was crossed by @RocklandGOP & demands action from @NewYorkGOP @NickLangworthy & @GOP. Enough words. This bigotry must be confronted. The video & those who allowed it must be condemned & removed. Enough! pic.twitter.com/wbBsrlUtfV

— Chaskel Bennett (@ChaskelBennett) August 29, 2019

The video’s been taken down, but the ugliness remains. Here’s what Rockland County GOP chair Lawrence Garvey had this to say:

Rockland County Republican Party removes the video from the website but doubles down on the underlying anti-Semitic rhetoric & smears. pic.twitter.com/wHLobrWod6

— The Meturgeman (@DraftRyan2016) August 29, 2019

“This is a Rockland issue and not one that needs to be debated on a larger scale nor is it about anything other than the issue that faces us here.”

Except the issue does need to be discussed on a larger scale. It’s becoming more and more dangerous every day to be a Jew in New York, particularly if you venture out in public in any sort of religious garb. It’s clear that there’s a serious problem, one that is coalescing from all sides of the political spectrum.

This is an important thread from my husband. Between the Rockland County GOP video, the brick attack in Brooklyn this week… Anti-Semitism against visibly Orthodox Jews is on the rise, and nobody gives a damn because those are the weird-looking Jews. https://t.co/ynLqY4mnyG

— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) August 29, 2019

In a thread yesterday, Seth Mandel explained why it’s so important that New York’s Jewish population take measures to protect itself:

De Blasio won’t lift a finger, media yawn—the Jews of Crown Heights should be carrying.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

ADL can only be shamed after so much blood spilled into a halfhearted act while its director goes on Al Sharpton’s show and encourages others to do the same.

If it can’t be blamed on right-wingers, the modern Jewish establishment sits on its hands while Jews are publicly stoned.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

I have worked with and around the major Jewish organizations my whole life. So it pains me to point out the obvious: they are doing absolutely nothing about the wave of violence. Jews are telling me they’re taking off their yarmulkes on the subway platform. In New York City.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

The attacks are against those clearly wearing Jewish attire, so most Jews don’t see anything different about their daily commute, while their Orthodox neighbor has to go incognito for fear of being thrown in front of a train.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

Seth, I’ve been riding the subway for past 5 years every day. Nobody is taking off thier yarmulkes. Please

— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) August 29, 2019

I mean, I know actual ppl who are, so maybe don’t extrapolate your experience and call other Jews liars. I mean Jesus Christ Jacob.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

Every single head of every single major Jewish organization—without exception—should feel ashamed to their core. Every single one. Yes, ADL is guiltier than most, but that doesn’t absolve you. Enjoy your half-mil salaries while this goes on.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

Non-sarcastic question: Is there a Halakhic ruling about carrying firearms during Shabbos?

— Max Borowitz (@MaxBorowitz) August 29, 2019

As always, ask your rabbi—but the answer will depend on threat level I assume

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

Leave you with this: Everybody knows. Everybody knows. Everyone. No one gets a pass: https://t.co/jNUzUxTNA6

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

“Our secular brethren may walk in the street and have the luxury of blending into the crowd, as anonymous New Yorkers, but we wear our identities on our sleeves. And this puts us at the very front lines of anti-Semitism in the United States today.” https://t.co/Ozik1lYU73

— Avital Chizhik Goldschmidt (@avitalrachel) August 28, 2019

Exactly this. I guess if you haven’t been pelted with rocks from passing cars in suburban New Jersey while walking home from shul you might not realize what the rest of us deal with https://t.co/PEF6qj3JLa

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

NYC has essentially rendered 2A irrelevant, disarming the Jews they won’t help. Permits should be applied for by everyone, some are bound to be given access to their constitutional right. Form larger and more active shmira orgs. Become police officers.

And bring in the Israelis.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

Lobby for security grants for cameras and more lights. Train neighborhood watch groups and give them whatever weapons are actually legal in NYC. Provide walking groups as much as possible to and from shul. Run for local office.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

And make the phones at the ADL, Conference of Presidents, Federations/JCRC etc off the hook. Show up at the offices. Call them out publicly. And make sure every person in America knows Bill de Blasio won’t do something about this.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

Look at every neighborhood where incidents have happened, look up their local, city, state and national representatives. Look at their party registration. Then make the Republican and Democratic Jewish groups take a break from sniping at each other on twitter and speak up.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

It’s chilling that the presence of video footage makes people less interested in certain hate crimes. https://t.co/c3oU3RE7E9

— Michael Brendan Dougherty (@michaelbd) August 29, 2019

The surveillance state is here to protect you, don’t you know

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 29, 2019

There are probably security professionals who would do pro bono work to help develop a strategy. Do vulnerability assessments of shuls, as in-depth a risk assessment of surrounding areas as you can, then your mitigation measures.

— (((Garrett Khoury))) (@KhouryGarrett) August 29, 2019

Mitigation starts with situational awareness, and that can be taught. How to be aware without being paranoid, how to identify risky situations before they develop, and then how to react (whether flight or fight). Anyone given any sort of weapon should be trained.

— (((Garrett Khoury))) (@KhouryGarrett) August 29, 2019