Hateful flyers containing anti-Jewish language were once again discovered in communities across the Town of Hempstead last Saturday night. Reports from the Five Towns area said that the leaflets were propagating untrue, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and were likely distributed sometime overnight.
Similar flyers were discovered last month.
Town of Hempstead officials representing the communities in which they were discovered denounced the hateful language. Town Supervisor Don Clavin, Councilman Anthony D’Esposito and Councilwoman Melissa Miller – as well as from area Jewish faith leaders dismayed by the flyers’ message of hatred and division.
"Yet again, a local community has been blanketed with hateful, anti-Semitic flyers that propagate lies and dangerous falsehoods targeting our Jewish neighbors,” the joint statement says. “This disgusting display of prejudice has no place in our hometown, or anywhere in this country. We are outraged that such vile conspiracists think they have a platform to spread their evil message - it will not be tolerated in the Town of Hempstead. This group of evildoers has further revealed themselves, and we will continue doing everything in our power to support ongoing investigations seeking to bring down this network of malicious propagandists. To our Jewish friends, family members and loved ones - you are an integral part of this community. We stand with you. We will not let hate win."
The trio of Hempstead Town officials have been in close contact with members of the area’s Jewish community since the initial discovery of the flyers, reaffirming their commitment to safeguarding those impacted by such prejudiced attacks.
"I am outraged at the discovery of anti-Semitic flyers in the Town of Hempstead, and the perpetrators responsible who polluted our township with such vile garbage,” said Supervisor Clavin. “Anti-Semites continue to target our hometown knowing full well this community has long been a welcoming place for the Jewish people, as well as peoples of all religious and cultural backgrounds.
In addition to their open lines of communication with members of the public impacted by the anti-Semitic leaflets, officials have consulted with Jewish faith leaders from across the township, who shared the town officials’ dismay at the discovery of the flyers.
“I was horrified by this blatant spread of hatred and anti-Semitism, and I call the people of all walks of life, no matter affiliation, Jew or gentile let’s combat darkness with light, let us add acts of goodness and kindness, let’s make a difference in this world in a positive fashion one good deed at a time,” said Rabbi S. Zalman Wolowik, of the Chabad of the Five Towns.
In response to the discovery of the anti-Semitic flyers, the Town of Hempstead will be stepping up public safety patrols in areas near Jewish houses of worship in order to provide palpable support for the impacted communities.