As antisemitic and anti-Israel attacks skyrocket in the U.S., their targets are increasingly synagogues. No surprise that nearly all high-profile attacks on synagogues reported by mainstream media since the October 7^th massacre in Israel were orchestrated by so-called “free Palestine” mobs.

Such attacks, often disruptive and violent—even deadly—dispel any excuse that protestors “do not hate Jews,” but rather only want to “free Palestine.”  Let’s be clear: These synagogue attacks have nothing to do with forming a state in “Palestine.” Never do the attackers demand measures toward forming a Palestinian state—such as creating government institutions free of corruption or a self-sufficient economy. In fact, most of the slogans associated with synagogue attackers call for the death of Jews and elimination of Israel.

Furthermore, synagogue attacks have nothing to do with free speech. Indeed, murdering worshippers at a synagogue doesn’t constitute an expression of First Amendment rights, nor do assaults on Jews, blocking access and vandalism.

Rather, the “pro-Palestinian” groups leading these attacks have everything to do with threatening Jews and eliminating the Jewish state. At a highly publicized attack on a synagogue in New York City last month, for example, a protest leader chanted “We need to make them scared,” revealing the true intention of these synagogue attacks—to make Jews cower.

Thus far, responses by synagogue and Jewish community leadership, as well as by civil authorities, have been disorganized and ineffective. Often, for example, law enforcement reacts haphazardly to synagogue attacks, and some politicians advocate for measures, such as “buffer zones,” which will only regulate the problem rather than resolve it.

Clearly, for the sake of public safety and civil order, American Jews—as well as legislators and civil authorities—must fight back against such personal attacks on Jews and on their houses of worship. The solutions must be forceful and determined—they must deter such attacks.

Attacks on synagogues skyrocketing. According to an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) 2024-2025 survey, incidents of attacks on synagogues spiked to twice the five-year, pre-2023 average. Nearly all the high-profile attacks post-October 7^th were orchestrated by anti-Israel groups, such as the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and American Muslims for Palestine. They were accompanied by such chants as “Death to Israel” and “We don’t want no Zionists here.”

Synagogue attackers have no interest in building a Palestinian state. No wonder none of the chants heard at synagogue attacks call for actions towards building a Palestinian state. Instead, the attackers chant “Zionist pigs,” “Globalize the Intifada,” and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!” None of this has anything to do with building a Palestinian state and everything to do with destroying Israel and intimidating Jews.

Attacks on synagogues are NOT free speech. Indeed, murdering Jewish worshippers in cold blood is certainly not an exercise of First Amendment rights, but that’s what Robert Bowers did on October 27, 2018 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where he slaughtered 11 people and condemned Jewish “genocide.” Assault isn’t free speech either, but assaults have occurred at several synagogues, including one in New Jersey, where protestors attacked two Jewish worshippers, one of whom they hit in the head with a flashlight and required hospitalization.

Synagogue attackers want to destroy Israel and intimidate Jews. Not surprisingly, many synagogue attacks are perpetrated during events related to Israel. In fact, five attacks took place at synagogues holding Israeli real estate events.

One attack in Los Angeles on December 3 occurred at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, in which a “public-safety symposium” was taking place. This event was co-hosted by the Consul General of Israel, the local Jewish community, and a Korean-American community group. It was aimed at increasing security and community safety. Some anti-Israel agitators managed to get inside the synagogue, damage property and shout slogans like “baby killers,” “Zionist pigs,” and “Occupation no more.”

In another instance, at the Park East Synagogue in New York City on November 19, anti-Israel activists targeted an event by Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organization that helps Jews immigrate to Israel. Some 200 protesters, many masked, gathered outside the synagogue chanting slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” and “Take another settler out.”

These events were targeted because anti-Israel protestors don’t want Jews living in their ancestral homeland and want to destroy the one and only Jewish state.

Furthermore, these synagogue attacks were all designed to intimidate Jews. In fact, at the Park East Synagogue attack, one of the protestors’ leaders told the crowd, “It is our duty to make them think twice before holding these events.” As the New York Post reported, the agitator “repeated emphatically” that “we need to make them scared.”

Responses to synagogue attacks are inconsistent and often lackluster. Local police reaction to attacks is habitually muted nationwide. Following the Park East attack, for example, the NYPD commissioner admitted that police should have done a better job of keeping anti-Israel protestors away, by keeping the front entrance clear and ensuring “people could easily enter and leave shul.”

Some New York lawmakers have responded to the Park East attack by calling for buffer zones around synagogues, similar to those around abortion clinics. But Jonathan Tobin, editor of the Jewish News Syndicate, maintains this would simply regulate the problem rather than dealing with the problem’s source—antisemitic, anti-Israel blood libels.

What needs to happen? Authorities at all levels of government need to crack down hard on those who use violence and other force to prevent people from exercising their rights to freedom of worship, speech, and assembly.

This means, for example, enhanced, aggressive prosecution for hate crimes, and mandatory arrests for vandalism, threats, or obstruction. Notably, there were no arrests made in connection with several attacks on synagogues in the past two years. In fact, in the period between October 2023 and December 2025, only five individuals across documented incidents faced arrest for attacks on synagogues, and there have been no convictions.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that strong, resolute action is required to prevent attacks on synagogues, so American Jews are not intimidated by thugs seeking to destroy them and their state.

If you agree we need to spread this truth, please use your email browser to forward this Hotline issue to fellow lovers of Israel—and encourage them to join us by subscribing to the Hotline at no charge.

Best regards,
Jason Shvili, Contributing Editor
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.      Surely you’ve recently read of some celebrity, politician, radical student, foreign head of state or media pundit slander Israel with the “Gaza genocide” lie. Many who spread this lie are ignorant, but most are anti-Israel haters. They care nothing for the truth. The tragedy is, when they utter the Gaza genocide falsehood, too few knowledgeable people—and virtually no media—stand up to refute it. Indeed, when you share the simple facts, the genocide lie crumbles. Upon learning that Israel conducts its war against Hamas terrorists with the highest ethical standards—and that nothing Israel does in Gaza fits the definition of genocide—fair-minded people quickly see through the lie. I hope you’ll agree that we supporters of the Israel-U.S. relationship need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“Facts Shatter Gaza Genocide Lies”—describes what genocide is and is not and proves factually that Israel’s tactics in the war are ethical and righteous. It also reveals demographic data showing that the Palestinian population in Gaza is actually increasing. Finally, it notes that those who spread the Gaza genocide lie fit the classic definition of antisemites. Please review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME is about to publish to millions—in leading social media, as well as in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Tampa Bay Times, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, the President and Vice President. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.