Possible antisemitic attack leaves some in New York’s Jewish community on edge following Bondi Beach shooting

By Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN

(CNN) — As New York police investigate a stabbing possibly fueled by antisemitism just days after the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney, Australia, leaders in Brooklyn’s Jewish community say the incidents have only worsened the fear and anxiety they already face every day.

“It’s a scary time,” said Anna Keller, director of family engagement and partnerships for the Jewish Community Center Brooklyn. “And there’s no handbook on how to navigate it.”

Authorities say they are searching for the person who stabbed a man during a verbal altercation that turned physical on Tuesday in the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn – a community with a sizable Jewish population. The victim’s injuries, police say, were non-life-threatening.

“At this time, we are investigating reports that this incident originated from antisemitic comments that were made by the perpetrator,” the New York Police Department said in a news release. “In the hours since, the NYPD has deployed dozens of additional officers to Crown Heights and the surrounding areas to search for the perpetrator.”

The incident came as many members of the Jewish community in Crown Heights and beyond were already concerned about their safety following a mass shooting Sunday at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a celebration of the first night of Hanukkah. Fifteen people were killed in the shooting. Australian authorities have said the alleged attackers were fueled by “Islamic State ideology.”

The NYPD said earlier this week it was increasing police presence at Hanukkah celebrations and synagogues in light of the Sydney attack. Hanukkah is being celebrated through December 22.

Antisemitism has surged in recent years, particularly following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

In the US, the number of antisemitic incidents has been on the rise for the past four years, with data from the Anti-Defamation League showing the figure last year reached its highest level since the organization began tracking it in 1979.

More locally, New York saw a renewed focus on Jewish safety this year during the mayoral race: Jewish leaders expressed skepticism and concern about Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a vocal critic of the Israeli government who will become the city’s first Muslim mayor when he takes office on January 1.

Mamdani has said he looks forward to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including Jewish residents.

There have been 305 hate crimes reported in New York as of December 15, which is down 9% from last year when there were 334, according to the NYPD.

Shmuel Rosenstein, acting chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, said the Jewish community in Crown Heights was still planning to move forward with its Hanukkah events and menorah lightings despite the recent attacks.

Still, Rosenstein said many Jewish people remain concerned about what happened in Australia and whether there is an increased threat to their own community.

“Within the same week, when you have one or two incidents that seem to be targeting Jewish people, then the feeling is we’re some kind of target,” Rosenstein said.

‘The community is strong and resilient’

Crown Heights, Rosenstein said, has a history of being a safe and welcoming place for Jewish families.

Many middle-class Jewish families first migrated to Crown Heights after World War II, according to the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council. It became a “hub for Jewish life,” the council said on its website. Jewish people would later branch out to other communities, such as Flatbush, Williamsburg and Borough Park.

Rosenstein said because Crown Heights has been home to Jewish families for so long, many were stunned to learn the stabbing on Tuesday might be antisemitic.

“I think people were surprised and a little shocked,” Rosenstein said. “But the community is strong and resilient, and we are going to continue celebrating our holiday with joy.”

Keller, of the Jewish Community Center Brooklyn, said she has taken several calls in the past couple days from Jewish parents worried about the safety of their families following the attacks.

Parents are discussing how they engage with law enforcement when they have security concerns, Keller said, and being hesitant to wear or display symbols of their Jewish identity.

But the stabbing in Crown Heights and mass shooting in Sydney have also served as a reminder of the importance of gathering as a community, Keller said.

There will still be Hanukkah celebrations in the coming days, she said. And the community will heal together with continued parent circles, children’s events and families hosting each other at their homes, Keller said.

“I think it almost inspires us to be unafraid,” Keller said. “We have been persecuted for a long time.”

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CNN’s Mark Morales contributed to this report.