According to a recent Facebook post, a swastika was carved into the door of the JNF office in Rome.
By Rachel Avraham
According to a recent Facebook post published by the Jewish National Fund, “a swastika was etched onto the door of KKL-JNF’s office in Rome. This severe act of vandalism adds to the disturbing wave of antisemitism affecting Jews across Europe and around the world.”
The Jewish National Fund added, “The swastika on KKL-JNF’s office is a painful reminder that hatred of Jews is rising everywhere. It is a cowardly act meant to undermine the sense of security of Jews wherever they live. At KKL-JNF, we strongly condemn this act and call on the authorities in Italy to take swift action to identify the perpetrators and prevent such incidents from recurring.”
“The carving of a swastika on the KKL-JNF offices in Rome is a painful reminder that Jew-hatred continues to raise its head in Europe and beyond. This cowardly act is meant to intimidate and erode the sense of security of Jews wherever they may be,” stated Ifat Ovadia-Luski, world chairwoman of KKL-JNF, to JNS.
She told JNS that the agency condemns the vandalism and expects the Italian authorities to take firm steps to identify those responsible and prevent such acts from recurring. “KKL-JNF will continue to work tirelessly for the Jewish people, for Zionism and for strengthening the bond with Jewish communities everywhere, with the deep conviction that precisely in the face of this darkness, we must persist in fighting and bringing more light,” she said.
This comes after several people harassed a Jewish father and son duo who were waiting for the bathroom in Milan, the Jerusalem Post reported. According to the report, both were wearing kippot. The father was physically assaulted, while the son was protected from harm by a stranger.
The Jerusalem Post reported that prior to the assault, the two were waiting in line for the restroom at a rest station outside of Milan when several people approached them and shouted “Murderers,” “Go to hell,” “Go back to your country,” and “Free Palestine.” After the incident, the father showed visible signs of bruises and his glasses got broken.
“My father-in-law lives in France and nothing like this has ever happened to him there,” the victim’s Italian son-in-law told Corriere Della Sera. “In Italy, however, people have no issue with assaulting a father in front of a child. That’s where our beautiful country is heading. Unfortunately, we Jews must live in fear.”
The Times of Israel reported that the most recent report by the Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea (CDEC), a Milan-based think tank that monitors antisemitism in Italy, revealed that in 2024, its antisemitism watchdog received 877 complaints about antisemitic incidents in the country, compared to 454 in 2023 and 241 in 2022. According to the report, the recorded incidents included physical aggression against people, antisemitic graffiti, and threats or insults on social media.
