Pittsburgh Jewish Community Faces Vandalism and Threats Amid Rising Tensions

PITTSBURGH — The Jewish community in Squirrel Hill awoke to a wave of vandalism and threats on Monday, with graffiti targeting personal and city property, including the Chabad and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. The graffiti, which included messages accusing the Federation of "funding genocide," appears to be part of a broader pattern of intimidation against the community, coinciding with recent pro-Palestinian protests in the city. These protests, which featured chants against police and Israel, occurred just days before the vandalism, highlighting the escalating tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Protesters called for major corporations like PNC Bank and U.S. Steel to divest from Israel, while the Jewish Federation condemned the graffiti as an antisemitic attack aimed at blaming Jews for the actions of a foreign government. The recent acts of vandalism follow a tragic incident in northern Israel, where an Iranian-made rocket killed 12 children, further inflaming emotions on both sides. Since the Hamas attack on Israel last October, antisemitic incidents have surged, with nearly 9,000 reported nationwide, and Pennsylvania ranking eighth in such attacks. Governor Josh Shapiro, a member of the Jewish community, expressed his dismay, emphasizing that residents of a city that experienced the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting should not have to endure such hostility. Pittsburgh police are currently investigating the incidents, as the community grapples with the implications of rising antisemitism and public unrest.