Aj Committee Reports 13 Anti-semitic Desecrations, Assaults This Year, 165 Acts Since 1965

The continued desecration of Jewish synagogues, schools, centers and cemeteries in communities throughout the United States is also “a desecration of the principle of human freedom on which this country was founded.” according to Philip E. Hoffman, president of the American Jewish Committee. Referring to a report just issued by AJC’s Trends and Analyses Division, Mr. Hoffman revealed that 13 anti-Semitic desecrations and assaults had been committed since January of this year, ranging from east to west coast. “Although this is somewhat less than the number of similar incidents that occurred in the same period of 1969, it is an affront to this nation that they should have happened at all.” Mr. Hoffman declared. The AJC report, a tabulation of anti-Semitic actions reported during the five-year period from July 1965 to July 1970, lists more than 165 incidents in 63 cities in 22 states. “These figures represent only those incidents that are known to have been reported to the police,” Mr. Hoffman emphasized.

The AJC tabulation lists crimes that range from smashing windows to bombing and dynamiting of synagogues, overturning gravestones, destroying or damaging religious articles, rare Judaica and other institutional property, painting and carving swastikas, painting obscene words, phrases and slogans, and burglary. A study of the kinds of phrases and slogans painted by the desecraters over the five-year period indicated an Increasing use of words associated with black militancy and Arab sympathies. Whereas the phrases used in 1965 and 1966 reflected Nazi thinking–in words such as “Hitler was right” and “Six million, was it enough?”–the 1970 painting included such slogans as “Nasser lives.” “Support El Fatah.” and “Free the 21 Panthers or face white riots.” Another trend, Mr. Hoffman noted, was the extreme youth of the criminals. Arrests were made and suspects noted in only 27 of 165 incidents. Those arrested or suspected included 85 persons ranging in age from seven to 23, including two girls aged 14 and 15. In at least one incident. Mr. Hoffman revealed, the youngster apprehended was said to be “high” from sniffing polish, and in another incident two teenagers said they “did it for kicks.”