Antisemitic graffiti targets Chabad of Squirrel Hill, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

Rabbi Yisroel Altein woke up to what he called a troubling sight Monday morning — red spray paint on the facade of Chabad of Squirrel Hill that read “Jews for Palestine.”

Under the words was an inverted red triangle, a symbol that Hamas militants have used to indicate they were targeting people, Altein said.

“It’s very troubling,” Altein said. “We all love Pittsburgh. It’s a nice, loving, friendly city — and it’s tragic there’s a handful of people that are spewing such hate and turning the city into a place where people should fear to be Jewish.”

The vandalism, which occurred Monday around 1:45 a.m., drew denunciations not just from the city’s Jewish community but also from local and state politicians.

Altein condemned the vandalism, but said it won’t deter him and others at Chabad of Squirrel Hill — a Jewish outreach organization that hosts programs, events and prayer services — from gathering together and praying.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s South Oakland headquarters also was targeted with a red spraypainted message on its sign overnight: an arrow linking “Jewish Federation” to the words “funds genocide.”

What is actually being protested if the end result is anti-Semitic graffiti on prominent Jewish institutions in our city? This is a devastating escalation in Jewish hate as anti-Semitism becomes more mainstream. pic.twitter.com/dfoVNLyAAp

— City Controller Rachael Heisler (@PGHController) July 29, 2024

Shawn Brokos, director of community security with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said several “We stand with Israel” yard signs also were defaced.

The vandalism, she said, was a direct targeting of the Jewish community by people whose messages indicate they support Hamas.

“There’s no other way to interpret this messaging,” she said.

Detectives are investigating both incidents, Emily Bourne, a public safety spokeswoman, said. The two events, she said, could be related, but there are no suspects at this time.

Police Chief Larry Scirotto said Pittsburgh police and the FBI have limited information at this early stage of the investigation.

Police have linked a black sedan to the vandalism at Chabad of Squirrel Hill and possibly the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh building, Scirotto said. Police are using license plate readers to try to identify the vehicle.

Scirotto said police are unsure how many suspects are involved. Police are combing through video footage from both locations.

Mayor Ed Gainey on Monday morning visited the Squirrel Hill synagogue to show his support. Altein said he appreciated the visit, but wanted to see the city take action, condemn recent acts of antisemitism and bolster police patrols in the neighborhood.

“Targeting houses of worship has no place in our city, and neither does antisemitic hate and behavior,” Gainey said at a news conference at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. “It really has no place in our country or in our world. Hate has never really been able to build anything — but love can build all things.”

The mayor said his administration was committed to ensuring people could feel safe in the places where they gather to pray and worship. He urged people throughout the city to come together and build a city where hate is not tolerated.

“What happened last night should’ve never happened,” he said.

Bourne urged anyone with information on the incidents to call the Pittsburgh police Zone 4 station at 412-422-6520.

There will be increased police patrols in response to the vandalism, said City Councilwoman Barb Warwick, D-Greenfield, who represents the portion of the Squirrel Hill neighborhood that includes Chabad of Squirrel Hill.

Police have stepped up patrols after other similar incidents in recent months. Bourne confirmed Zone 4 police would increase patrols in the area in response to Monday’s vandalism.

Maria Montaño, a spokeswoman for Gainey, said public works crews were dispatched Monday morning to clean the graffiti from both locations.

“Obviously these actions are unacceptable, and targeting our Jewish residents in their neighborhoods and places of work and worship is antisemitic,” Warwick said.

This comes amid a spike in vandalism targeting the city’s Jewish community since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Officials have decried Monday morning’s vandalism.

A friend in Pittsburgh just sent me these photos of Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. Vandalism is never acceptable, and the use of Hamas symbolism must be condemned in the strongest terms. pic.twitter.com/t8LHiMh4ND

— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) July 29, 2024

“I condemn in the strongest terms this morning’s acts of vandalism, and I call on every person to reject all forms of hatred, discrimination, antisemitism and division that threaten to divide us further from each other,” said state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, who described himself as saddened and enraged.

Costa, the Senate minority leader, and state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, last week announced $10 million will be available to fund security enhancements for nonprofit organizations through the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program. The program was launched after the 2018 attack on the Tree of Life synagogue to help houses of worship and community organizations bolster security.

“Hate has no place in Pittsburgh or anywhere else, and we must stand together to denounce such acts of intolerance,” Frankel said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro on social media noted the Squirrel Hill community saw the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history at the Tree of Life synagogue.

The Squirrel Hill community witnessed the deadliest act of antisemitism in our nation's history at Tree of Life Synagogue.⁰⁰They should not need to wake up to antisemitic graffiti in their neighborhood.⁰⁰Vandalism of any type of a house of worship has no home in our…

— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 29, 2024

“They should not need to wake up to antisemitic graffiti in their neighborhood,” wrote Shapiro, who is Jewish. “Vandalism of any type of a house of worship has no home in our Commonwealth — and we must all continue to call it out and speak with moral clarity.”

These types of incidents, Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor wrote in a social media post, “have become too common for our Jewish community in Pittsburgh.”

“It’s never acceptable to target a synagogue or Jewish organization with vandalism,” he wrote. “No one should be made to feel unsafe in their own neighborhood. Hate has no place here.”

Altein at a news conference Monday said the mission of Chabad of Squirrel Hill is “to bring light to the world, to bring good to the world.”

This act of hatred, he said, will only encourage them to double down on efforts to do good.

“This obviously will not stop us,” he said.

Related:

• Police step up patrols after antisemitic graffiti scrawled in Squirrel Hill

• Squirrel Hill vandalism illustrates spike in antisemitic acts in Pittsburgh, nation

• Pro-Palestine graffiti in Squirrel Hill called ‘despicable’