Forum Will Address Anti-Semitic Activities

In the wake of several anti-Semitic incidents, including the July 31 vandalism of two Valley synagogues, the Anti-Defamation League will hold a community forum Wednesday to discuss the crimes.

“It’s our duty to do this and stand with our neighbors and with our friends,” said Aaron Levinson, the event’s organizer and the interim director of the ADL’s Valley office. “We have a strong community. This is not a community that tolerates bigotry.”

The recent burst of anti-Semitic activity began in late July, when residents across the metropolitan region, from Glendale to Santa Clarita, reported finding hate leaflets in their mailboxes or inside food products purchased at grocery stores. The fliers included the Internet address of the National Alliance, a West Virginia-based white supremacy group.

About a week later, the same Web address was found spray-painted across exterior walls at Temple Solael in West Hills and Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge. The graffiti included the words, “stop murdering the white race.”

The leafleting and the vandalism of Temple Solael are under preliminary investigation by the FBI. No suspects have been identified.

Wednesday’s community forum will feature Michael Bostic, deputy chief of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Bureau, and Rayna Gabin, a representative of Councilwoman Laura Chick.

The event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation/Valley Alliance, Temple Aliyah and St. Bernardine’s Catholic Church in Woodland Hills, and the two synagogues that were vandalized.

The forum will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Aliyah, 6025 Valley Circle Blvd. in Woodland Hills.

For more information, contact the ADL’s Valley office at (818) 587-3220.