By Harold Egeln
Brooklyn Eagle

BAY RIDGE — A trail of anti-Semitic hate messages that appeared during the Jewish High Holy Days is being investigated by the New York Police Department Hate Crime Unit. The paper slips, discovered two days after Yom Kippur, along Third Avenue between 75th and 95th streets, were marked with the words “kill Jews.�

“This is a hate crime, pure and simple, and the distribution of that message is by the vilest sort of cowards,� said Councilman Vincent Gentile, adding that Deputy Inspector Eric Rodriguez, 68th Precinct commander, informed him about the Hate Crimes Unit’s investigation.

“Our community is one of tolerance and cooperation,� Gentile said. “We are strong because we have a history of working together towards improvement and for the benefit of every person, every child and every neighbor. I ask everyone to join me in extending all the support we can offer to the Jewish community.�

There is speculation that the hate messages may have been connected with similar messages distributed a few days before in Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill, and that there might be a connection with the recent visit of a hate-promoting group from Topeka, Kansas. Members of the Midwestern extremist Christian Westboro Baptist Church held rallies at synagogues in Park Slope and Cobble Hill, waving placards and shouting slurs about Jews, gays, abortion, President Obama and other targets. The small group was both jeered and ignored by Brooklyn residents.

“It is crucial for our community to work together to stop this filth from going any further,� said Gentile. “If you see something, such as a person dumping flyers on any street, or anything suspicious at all, call 911 immediately. We work together every day to improve our neighborhood. Now let us work together to show that we won’t tolerate hate.�

The Hate Crimes Unit is not only investigating the recent dumping of hate messages along Third Avenue, Gentile was told, but also recent incidents over the last few months on Fourth Avenue near the Bay Ridge Jewish Center at 81st Street.

Center President Herb Karasik told the media that the incidents are “disturbing and sick,� noting that there have been several such incidents over the recent months near the synagogue. At Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope, Rabbi Andy Bachman advised constituents to avoid provoking the small hate group before his synagogue was picketed. Local observers either mocked or ignored the group of five hate-mongers.

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