Pittsburgh Jewish community targeted with antisemitic graffiti
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and Chabad of Squirrel Hill were vandalized
This story was updated on July 30 to include a statement from Gov. Josh Shapiro and a joint statement from city officials.
The Pittsburgh Jewish community awoke on July 29 to find it had again been targeted with antisemitism.
Graffiti declaring “Jews 4 Palestine” and an inverted red triangle were painted on the front of Chabad of Squirrel Hills’ building around 1:40 a.m. The inverted red triangle has been used by Hamas to identify Israeli military targets. The symbol is also used “to represent Hamas itself and glorify its use of violence,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.
At the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, the words “Funds genocide ♥ Jews, Hate Zionist” were painted on a sign outside the building.
Additionally, “We Stand with Israel” signs were defaced on private property in Squirrel Hill.
At an afternoon news conference, the Federation’s Director of Community Security Shawn Brokos said the graffiti “cannot be nuanced.”
“What we saw today,” she said, “was a direct targeting of our Jewish community by people who, through the graffiti and the messages, are supporters of Hamas. There is no other way to interpret the messaging.”
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said the targeting of houses of worship and antisemitic hate have no place in the country or world.
“When we talk about religious institutions where people go to pray, they should be safe, and they should be protected,” he said. “We shouldn’t have any defacing of these properties. What happened at 1:45 in the morning cannot be tolerated.”
A timeline connecting the two events has not yet been established, Pittsburgh Police Chief Larry Scirotto said, but he noted that a black sedan was captured on video at both sites.
“The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police stands committed and capable of holding those accountable for this act,” he said.
The city’s police force is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, Scirotto said.
Chabad of Squirrel Hill Rabbi Yisroel Altein said that it is important to be clear on what’s right and wrong, what’s moral and immoral.
“This is antisemitism, period,” Altein said.
The Pittsburgh Jewish community, which continues to bear the scars of the Oct. 27, 2018, Pittsburgh synagogue shooting as well as Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack, remains concerned with the rise in antisemitism, said Rabbi Henoch Rosenfeld, director of Chabad Young Professionals. He recalled a recent text he received.
“They said to me, ‘Rabbi, what’s next? Is it going to be Kristallnacht?’” referencing the 1938 pogrom carried out in Germany by the Nazi party.
Rosenfeld said that the biggest difference between 1938 and now is evidenced by the politicians and police standing behind him “to make sure we can continue to be loud and proud in our Judaism.”
Asked if there was any proof that the graffiti painted at Chabad was the work of an anti-Zionist group like Jewish Voice for Peace, Federation’s Community Relations Council Director Laura Cherner said that since the actor has not yet been identified, there was no way to make any connection with particular groups or individuals.
In a statement issued immediately following the news conference, the Federation called the attack “a targeted threat to our Jewish community,” and said the vandalism was “particularly despicable.”
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, whose district includes Squirrel Hill, did not attend the news conference but posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying vandalizing synagogues and places of worship like Chabad “is wrong.”
“These sanctuaries should be a refuge for those looking for community and spiritual healing. They must be respected and protected,” she wrote.
Lee did not label the vandalism as antisemitic nor did she reference the graffiti at the Federation.
Lee’s Republican opponent in the race for Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district seat, James Hayes, said in an email to the Chronicle that “you cannot wind a clock and object when it rings.”
“Virulently anti-Israel protests are tolerated, even encouraged by elected public officials, such as the current member of Congress Summer Lee,” Hayes wrote. “Along with others on the far-left ‘squad’ too many elected leaders characterize Israel’s very existence as something to be ‘corrected.’ Hence, the ugly vandalism and efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the antisemitic vandalism on social media: “They should not need to wake up to antisemitic graffiti in their neighborhood. Vandalism of any type of house of worship has no home in our Commonwealth — and we must all continue to call it out and speak with moral clarity.”
State Rep. Dan Frankel also posted on X, calling the vandalism an attack on “the values of tolerance, respect and community we as Pittsburghers hold dear. Hate has no place in Pittsburgh or anywhere else and we must stand together to denounce such acts.”
Rep. Chris Deluzio also decried the graffiti on X.
“People of all faiths should be respected and protected in America,” he wrote. “I condemn this vandalism and hope our community will continue to denounce antisemitism and hate in all its forms.”
Pittsburgh City Controller Rachael Heisler attended the news conference and visited both Chabad and the Federation when she heard of the vandalism.
“It was done with the intent to intimidate and create fear among Jews,” she said. “It seems very obvious to me what the goal was by doing that and it’s just so profoundly disappointing.”
Heisler was joined at the news conference and at Chabad by community activist David Knoll, who is helping Chabad with security. He called the vandalism “a significant uptick” in antisemitic activity.
“For the first time, Jewish institutions have been targeted, which were previously off limits,” Knoll said.
Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel, there have been several local instances of defacement of lawn signs supporting Israel and anti-Israel graffiti sprayed on sidewalks and on public buildings.
Also attending the news conference were Federation Board Chair Jan Levinson, Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury and Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Barb Warwick.
A joint statement issued late Monday and signed by Gainey and City Council members Warwick, Erika Strassburger, R. Daniel Lavelle, Bobby Wilson, Theresa Kail-Smith, Bob Charland, Anthony Coghill, Deborah Gross, Khari Mosley, as well as Heisler, read: “Targeting Pittsburgh’s Jewish residents – damaging property with the intent to make people feel unsafe in their neighborhoods and places of work and worship – is a deplorable act of anti-Semitism and political violence.
“To those who would claim this vandalism is a legitimate form of protest, make no mistake: These actions have zero impact on the situation in Israel. They do nothing to bring Israeli hostages home, to ease the suffering of Palestinians, or to halt further escalation of that growing global conflict. No one can claim to support peace and then commit acts that are intended to harass, frighten, and ostracize an entire community.”
The vandalism has the community on edge, but Altein said that won’t deter Chabad of Squirrel Hill from continuing its mission.
“They got the outside of the building,” he said. “Inside it’s just going to get bigger and better.”
Gainey’s press secretary, Maria Montaño, said Pittsburgh public works was dispatched to remove the graffiti.
In response to the attack, Chabad of Squirrel Hill will host a pre-Shabbat gathering. “Fight with Light” will take place on Friday, Aug. 2 at 5 p.m.
Pittsburgh police will increase patrols in the neighborhood, Brokos said. She urged anyone who witnesses antisemitic incidents to call 911 and contact the Federation at jewishpgh.org/form/incident-report. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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