On Day of Hate, Hate Was a No Show

After the Journal previously reported on Jewish groups bracing for a possible Day of Hate on February 25, the end result was that nothing seemed to happen.

There were various police bulletins leading up to February 25 warning about the Day of Hate, which the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said was being put forth by a white supremacist group called Crew-319, per Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA). Gabe Stutman, News Editor for The Jewish News of Northern California, tweeted that the white supremacist group Goyim Defense League bailed on participating in the Day of Hate; Stutman cited a screenshot where GDL leader Jon Minadeo II says they’re not doing anything that day because “the k—-s are up to something fishy” but would be “happy to do flyers the day after.” Stop Antisemitism tweeted the next day that the GDL was distributing flyers in Orlando saying, “Every single aspect of the Jewish Talmud is Satanic.”

The ADL tweeted on February 25 that the day was “a pretty typical Saturday in America, [with] white supremacist protests in [Ohio] & Georgia, antisemitic propaganda in TX, CA, FL & AZ — & white supremacists monetizing their hate-filled online livestreams.” “In the face of threats and rising #antisemitism, the American Jewish community was not cowed,” the ADL added. “We were defiant. We lit Shabbat candles, attended services, and proudly celebrated our faith. Meanwhile, extremists panicked and shared paranoid conspiracy theories.”

Jewish groups celebrated the fact that nothing happened on the purported Day of Hate.

“Thankfully, the #DayofHate came & went without incident,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “I’m certain that casting a bright light on their plans scared the bigots & sent them back into the dark where they belong. Our work is far from done, but let’s enjoy the moment and remain loud and proud about our faith.”

Thankfully, the #DayofHate came & went without incident. I'm certain that casting a bright light on their plans scared the bigots & sent them back into the dark where they belong. Our work is far from done, but let's enjoy the moment and remain loud and proud about our faith.

— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 26, 2023

ADL Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey I. Abrams said in a statement, “Thankfully, the so-called Day-of-Hate came and went without incident. We are grateful to LAPD, both full-time and reserve police officers for standing by our Jewish community, including deploying additional resources into West LA and Wilshire divisions. Our work is far from done, but we are grateful that our Jewish community was able to proudly express their faith and celebrate Shabbat this past weekend.”

American Jewish Committee Los Angeles Regional Director Richard S. Hirschhaut said in a statement to the Journal, “Thankfully, it appears the vile declaration of a National Day of Hate amounted to little more than a grotesque attempt to sow fear and intimidation. Hopefully, the attention it garnered will only spur millions of good people across America to continue to rebuke such bigotry. As a Jewish community, may we continue to stand resilient, strong, and proud.”

Simon Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda Rabbi Abraham Cooper told the Journal that while the Wiesenthal Center is “grateful that there are no reported incidents that I know of” the NGO is reiterating their call for the FBI to create a task force focused on combating antisemitism. “It’s only the FBI that can really infiltrate the situation and know whether or not there are dots to connect,” Cooper said. “It appears this particular exercise was inspired by some comments on social media and out of an abundance of caution, especially for us in LA … we already have [a] community on high alert.” He added that “it can be difficult to the quantify threat” when certain groups use “low tech” strategies to spread antisemitism on social media and dropping flyers on porches. “The only people who can really figure that out would be an institution like the FBI,” Cooper said. He urged the Jewish community to build bridges with non-Jews, arguing that antisemitism cannot be defeated without the help of “our neighbors.” 

StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, also said in a statement to the Journal, “We are grateful that synagogues and other Jewish institutions took precautions against possible attacks, and that many Jewish people across the nation countered bigotry by standing tall and proud. We are grateful to non-Jewish allies like Pastor Chris Harris of Chicago, who used the vile ‘Day of Hate’ campaign to promote love for his Jewish brothers and sisters. We must remain vigilant while standing proudly, and we must continue to expose bigotry while turning challenges into opportunities.” 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said in a statement to the Journal, “We have not seen any reported incidents. We are continuing to monitor and asking our community to stay diligent and report any suspicious activity.”

“A planned day of bigotry turned into a day of unity,” Stop Antisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez said in a statement to the Journal. “No matter how hard antisemites try, they will never dim our light.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine tweeted that the only things antisemites accomplished on the Day of Hate were “Jewish communities coming together in pride and defiance” and an “outpouring of support from allies of the Jewish community.” “And this is how we will continue to respond to this threat,” Levine wrote. “We will not be cowed.”

What the antisemites have accomplished so far on their “Day of Hate”:

* Jewish communities coming together in pride and defiance

* Outpouring of support from allies of the Jewish community

And this is how we will continue to respond to this threat. We will not be cowed.

— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) February 26, 2023