Reported ‘Day of Hate’ passes uneventfully

Despite several warnings from police departments and authorities across the United States., the so-called “Day of Hate” passed uneventfully.

Authorities in New York City, Chicago, Miami, and Orlando had issued warnings or Situational Awareness Alerts ahead of planned anti-Semitic events over the weekend.

The Orthodox Union (OU) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also warned many synagogues to increase security and vigilance ahead of the start of Friday and Saturday services.

However, OU also noted in a press release that they were “not aware of threats to specific Jewish institutions."

Writer Daniella Greenbaum Davis posted a picture of the Queens Shmira alert to social media. “There’s a day of hate planned against Jews this coming Shabbat,” she tweeted.

There’s a day of hate planned against Jews this coming Shabbat. So being an American Jew in 2023 is choosing between 1) taking my kids to pray, anxiously looking at the exits worried about their safety or 2) staying home and letting the anti-Semites define my Jewishness. pic.twitter.com/PoNnm1a6Jv

— Daniella Greenbaum Davis (@DGreenbaum) February 23, 2023

The announcements about a so-called “Day of Hate” came after an internal memo from the New York Police Department’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau was leaked.

An NYPD spokesperson said, “While there are no identified threats to New York City, out of an abundance of caution, the Department will deploy additional resources to sensitive locations, including houses of worship, throughout the weekend.”

In the last couple weeks, there have been attacks on Jews in New Jersey and Los Angeles and neo-Nazi gatherings in New York and Florida.

Anti-Semitic violence in the U.S. has also increased over the last few years.

Jewish groups across the U.S. decided to use the opportunity to present a counter message.

StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein encouraged people to celebrate a “Shabbat of Love.”

Police across the US are urging Jewish communities to be extra vigilant this weekend following a neo-Nazi group declaring February 25th as a “day of hate.”
To counter this "day of hate", StandWithUs is encouraging everyone to host a Shabbat of Love.@DrACFishman pic.twitter.com/cGoVsniYbn

— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) February 24, 2023

There were also multiple messages of support posted on social media, with the tags #ShabbatOfPeaceNotHate and #NationalDayofLove trending on Twitter over the weekend.

Signs were also seen in several communities nationwide stating, “We stand with our Jewish neighbors.”

[Opinion] The reversal of a “day of hate” against the Jews right before the festival Purim seems particularly appropriate.