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New Jersey AG and Ocean County Prosecutor Investigate Multiple incidences of Antisemitism

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Manchester Township NJ,  General Matthew J. Platkin and Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer today announced an ongoing investigation after several residential properties were spray-painted with swastikas and a suspicious house fire ignited in Manchester Township in a suspected bias incident on Tuesday.

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Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) Called Hate Group and recent Anti-Hindu resolution as a Hate Crime

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photo of the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) with Josh Gottheimer

the staff of the Ridgewood

Teaneck NJ,  Teaneck resident Deborah Blaiberg today sent the following letter to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin asking him to open an investigation into the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee (TDMC) as a possible hate group. Her letter to the Attorney General is below:

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Ocean County Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for Lakewood Violent Rampage Against Orthodox Jews

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Lakewood NJ, an Ocean County man was charged with federal hate crimes for a series of violent assaults on members of the Orthodox Jewish community in and around Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today.

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Glen Rock Police Dispel Rumors of a Hate Crime Committed Against Grand Nails

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We have zero evidence of any bias related criminal activity and all indications point to accidental damage caused by a large delivery truck
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, the Glen Rock Police are aware of a rumor on social media that there was a hate crime committed against Grand Nails located at 934 Prospect St in Glen Rock. On the morning of April 1, 2021, a neighboring business reported the Grand Nails sign was damaged. A property damage report was taken and the owners of Grand Nails were spoken to. The damage to the sign appeared to be consistent with damage from a large truck. The inside frame is bent and twisted and there is no other damage to the business nor is there any damage to nearby Asian businesses. At the time of the report, no claim of al this being a hate crime was reported to police by the reporting party nor the business owners. This was treated as a simple accidental property damage report.

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Ridgewood Superintendent Comments on Swastika and Star of David Graffiti Found at Ridgewood High School

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December 4, 2018

Dear Ridgewood Public Schools Parents, Guardians and Staff:

On Monday evening I was informed by Ridgewood High School Principal Dr. Thomas Gorman that last night a swastika and Star of David graffiti were found on the school campus. These symbols were carved in a stall in the girls’ bathroom. The incident was immediately reported to the Ridgewood Police Department and is being investigated at this time.

This incident is highly shocking and disturbing. While it seems to follow a copycat pattern of recent instances of swastikas found on the campuses of other schools in our Bergen County area, in no way does the repeat nature of this episode at one of our schools diminish the egregious behavior of the person or persons who committed this act, nor the seriousness with which our police and my administration are approaching the investigation and follow-up.

Please know that incidents of this nature cannot, and will not, be tolerated in the Ridgewood Public Schools. Our district’s zero tolerance policy for actions of bias is equally important to our proactive mission of promoting a culture of wholeness and communal well-being in our schools. We work very hard in all of our schools, every day, to promote a climate of respect for the dignity of all human beings regardless of race, religion, or creed. We can take pride in the many programs we have in place to help with that goal. This incident reinforces the need for such programs and the determination to succeed all the more. In this case, I am proud to say that it was a student who discovered the graffiti — which was small in size and not easily visible — and reported it.

Perhaps you will find an opportunity for family dialogue on this topic, including the importance of standing up for zero tolerance. I encourage you to speak with your children and to reach out to your school principal or to me with any specific areas of concern.

I will continue to share with you any relevant update from the Ridgewood Police Department as I am able, within the normal constraints of the investigation and privacy laws.

Sincerely yours,

Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools