Antisemitic Wind Chill, Now In Westchester

Winter temperatures can drop to freezing in many parts of the world. When one factors in the strong winds that often accompany bad weather, the “real feel” temperature is often much lower. The wind chill effect is caused by the wind blowing the natural heat that our body generates to further lower our external body temperature, and over time, our internal temperature.

The same happens with antisemitic attacks and antisemitic vitriol.

Jews have always been the most targeted group of hate crimes according to FBI Hate Crime statistics, more than Blacks, LGBTQ and Muslim communities. An average Jew in the United States is six times more likely to suffer a hate crime than an average Arab.

And that was before the October 7 massacre.

Rather than the global community rally behind Jews who suffered the most heinous attack since the Holocaust, many people attacked Jewish stores and people. They added their vile voices to the antisemitic storm, to further instill a shuddering fear into Jewish communities. “Gas the Jews!” in Australia. “This is the beginning… Death, death, death to Zionism wherever it exists! Whether it is in our neighborhoods or across seas! Death to Zionism every single place it lays its feet!” in New York City.

And in Westchester County, NY, Rep. Jamaal Bowman screamed to a crowd at a campaign rally as if he were Adolf Hitler in Munich’s Hofbrahaus in 1920:

“This is just the beginning y’all, this is just the beginning… AIPAC is one of the most powerful lobbies in America. Well you know what we have got to say to AIPAC? Bring it on, y’all. AIPAC, bring it on, y’all! We are not scared of none of that! I’m from the streets of New York…. I was a middle school principal. Taught kids in the South Bronx. Hey y’all, this is New York. AIPAC, we’re ready for all of that. If you wanna support a corporate career corrupt pay-to-play politician, you go ahead and do that…. Our movement is much more powerful than they can even imagine!“

After blowhard-Bowman chillingly called his own constituents “they” as if they were and not Americans and New Yorkers, and frighteningly challenged local Jews essentially to a rumble as if we were living in West Side Story, the cold acts of hate hit Jewish stores.

Just a few hours later, at around 3:45am according to video cameras, a woman painted graffiti on a couple of Jewish-owned stores in Scarsdale, in Bowman’s district.

“Genocide Supporters” painted on storefronts of Jewish-owned stores

Word spread quickly in the Jewish community.

Hundreds of Jews came to the scene by 4:00pm, to support the Scoop Shop ice cream store and hear from politicians such as Westchester County Executive George Latimer who is running in the Democratic primary against Bowman, and State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. Both told the crowd that while there is free speech, it has consequences and Westchester stands united against vitriol and hate of any kind.

Scoop Shop ice cream store packed with people supporting store owner

Jamaal Bowman has long made a reputation in congress as a toxic race-baiter. He accused Republicans of being too White and “lack[ing] the cognitive and emotional ability to recognize diverse opinions, when they talk truth to power.” He similarly thinks that a lobbying group made principally of Jews has too much power which must be railed against, even though he’s backed by a much more powerful lobbying arm, the teachers’ unions.

The antisemitic wind chill of Bowman’s caustic remarks and screaming challenge against the Jewish community hung in the air more than the sting of the vandalism.

Jews in Westchester closed ranks for warmth and comfort, and used the opportunity to get people to register to vote as they supported the victimized ice cream store and prayed the mincha service in the parking lot. The antisemitic wind chill felt less biting as they huddled and considered how they live in a time and place where an antisemitic storm can descend quickly with a toxic hail of words and actions.

By no means a natural storm. A storm manufactured and directed by their current governmental representative, Jamaal Bowman.

Owner of Scoop Shop after rally on January 25, 2024

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