Over the weekend hundreds of graves in a St. Louis Jewish cemetery were vandalized, further prompting serious concern about a recent rise in anti-Semitism across the country. Each year, the vast majority of hate crimes in the United States are committed against Jews.
Appears hundreds of graves vandalized at #STL Jewish cemetery. Damage is extensive. @andybankertv live report on @KPLR11 and @FOX2now at 5p pic.twitter.com/wneuIpl5MY
— Joe Lamie (@GIJoter) February 20, 2017
First pictures inside Chesed Shel Emeth as @chrisregniertv tours damage. Live on @FOX2now. Jewish cemetery damage in #STL pic.twitter.com/8Qhlh3dzRb
— Joe Lamie (@GIJoter) February 21, 2017
Since early 2016, 74 Jewish Community Centers around the country have received bomb threats. Eleven of them happened yesterday.
When asked about the issue at a series of press conferences last week, President Trump gave a harsh response and deflected the issue by speaking about his Electoral College win over Hillary Clinton in November.
He has since softened his tone.
.@POTUS: Anti-Semitic threats targeting Jewish community are a sad reminder of the work that must be done to root out hate. pic.twitter.com/fSkxYH6ipy
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 21, 2017
Yesterday Ivanka Trump, who serves as an unofficial advisor to her father, tweeted about the issue.
America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017
The White House is expected to further address this serious problem in the coming weeks.