The echoes of Kristallnacht in New York City

In the early hours of May 15, an unsettling event transpired in New York City. Rothschild TLV, a kosher restaurant on Manhattan’s Lexington Avenue, was targeted by vandals. The incident came on the heels of anti-Israel protests, casting a grim light on the surge of antisemitism that has beset the city. The restaurant’s chef, Guy Kairi, recounted how passersby hurled vitriolic comments, linking their hate speech to the state of Palestine. Such remarks reflect an alarming rise in hostility toward the Jewish community.

This act of vandalism was more than just a broken window; it was a stark reminder of darker times. Broken glass has a poignant meaning for the Jewish people, evoking memories of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, in 1938. Nazis terrorized Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues and homes in Germany, marking a significant escalation in the persecution of Jews. What happened at Rothschild TLV was a chilling echo of those atrocities, reminding us that hatred, if left unchecked, can escalate into widespread violence.

The parallels to Kristallnacht are not drawn lightly. On Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, the Nazis orchestrated a series of pogroms under the guise of spontaneous public outrage. This coordinated attack on Jewish lives and property marked the beginning of a more intense phase of the Holocaust. The violence seen on Kristallnacht was a precursor to the horrors that followed, because it emboldened Nazi officials to pursue even more aggressive anti-Jewish policies. Today, we must be vigilant to ensure that history does not repeat itself.

The echoes of the past are reverberating in our present. The attack on Rothschild TLV was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a worrying trend of increasing antisemitic and anti-American acts in our city and, for that matter, in our country. Let’s remember the Summer of Rage in 2020, when looting of our Democratic-run cities was the norm, sometimes encouraged, and for the most part not prosecuted.

Since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, there has been a noticeable uptick in antisemitic and anti-“establishment” incidents in cities across the country. These acts of hate, whether they manifest as vandalism, hate speech or physical violence, threaten the fabric of our diverse communities.

What is most disconcerting is the seeming normalization of such acts. The New York City Police Department’s initial lack of information about the incident at Rothschild TLV underscores a broader problem: Antisemitic acts are becoming so frequent that they risk becoming part of the city’s backdrop.

It is imperative that we address this rising tide of antisemitism head-on. The Jewish community’s response to the attack on Rothschild TLV has been one of resilience and solidarity. Celebrations of Israeli Independence Day on May 14 were marked with even more fervor, with music and festivities filling the streets, signaling that fear will not silence the Jewish voice.

But resilience alone is not enough. We need actionable steps from our city’s leaders to combat this hate, and that begins with ending cashless bail and replacing the Soros-bought district attorneys.

New York City must stand united against antisemitism in all its forms. We must ensure that our law enforcement agencies have the resources, the training and the public and judicial backup necessary to identify and respond to hate crimes effectively. And we must promote educational initiatives that foster understanding and tolerance among our diverse populations, and that begins with the immediate removal of educators who teach and encourage this hate.

The echoes of the past are indeed haunting, but they also offer us a chance to reaffirm our commitment to a future of peace, tolerance and mutual respect. As I am often heard saying, “This is how it all began. We must ensure it never happens again, and if it does, it will be punished.”

Ari Brown represents the 20th Assembly District.