The NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is currently investigating an incident where a slab of concrete was tossed through the living room window of a Pelham Parkway home during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The targeted window had an Israeli flag displayed outside at the time of the incident.

Police officials say the incident occurred at 2.45 p.m. on Friday, April 7, at 2121 Matthews Avenue between Lydig Avenue and Pelham Parkway. A police official said, “There is a complaint report on file for criminal mischief within the confines of the 49th Precinct.”

The official continued, “The report states an unknown suspect intentionally damaged a victim’s window by throwing a rock. A sign in the window read, ‘Wherever we stand, we stand with Israel’.” The official added that there have been no arrests and the case is being investigated as a hate crime.

The victim, Rochelle Shapiro, who’s lived in the 6-story building since it opened in 1964, told Norwood News of the incident, “I was getting ready for Shabbat. It was the second day of Passover… and I look up and boom!” She said the large piece of concrete narrowly missed her and smashed the center window in her living room.

Shapiro added that if a large plant was not in the way, “it would have hit me straight on.” Not very hopeful that the suspect will be apprehended, Shapiro added, “They [the police] do not give their all anymore because everyone is against the cops. The frigging politicians turned away from the cops. There is no protection for anybody.”

Norwood News contacted the NYPD for comment on the woman’s allegation regarding police investigations and will update this story should we receive a response.

Shapiro continued, “Because I was standing there, that could be a coincidence because he could have done it because he sees the Israeli flag. They’re in Ramadan. There’s a terrible war going on over there right now.” She added, “The way the country is the law is now in favor of the perpetrators and not the victims.”

Year-to-date hate crimes in The Bronx are down 46.7 percent versus last year (8 year to date versus 15 at the same time last year).

Norwood News reported on a number of attacks on various Jewish synagogues in 2021 in the northwest Bronx. A man was later arrested and charged in connection with the incidents. Riverdale resident Michael Horowitz later wrote an op-ed on the incidents for Norwood News.

Meanwhile, as reported, three mosques were broken into in the north Bronx during the holy month of Ramadan. As also reported, the borough president, in conjunction with the Bronx Interfaith Council, will host a National Day of Prayer on May 4. See attached flier for details.

On Tuesday, April 25, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that various City landmarks, including City Hall, would be lit in blue and white in honor of Israeli Independence Day, marking the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel.

Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Day of Independence) marks the day on the Hebrew calendar that corresponds to the day the new State of Israel formally declared its independence in 1948 after the cessation of the British Mandate. It is preceded annually by Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s official memorial day honoring fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.

In the context of the announcement, the mayor said, “On Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, we celebrate freedom for those in Israel and around the world.” He added, “New York City stands side by side with our neighbors, the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, to honor three-quarters of a century promoting peace and security in the Middle East and hope and opportunity across the globe.”

In addition to City Hall, the following City buildings will be lit up on April 25 at sundown:

• Bronx Borough Hall: 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
• The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building: 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007
• Queens Borough Hall: 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Queens, NY 11424
• Staten Island Borough Hall: 10 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301

Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, said of the occasion, “As a proud Jewish New Yorker, I want to thank Mayor Adams for lighting New York City in blue and white tonight to honor the 75th anniversary of the independent Jewish State of Israel.” He added, “Over the last 75 years, we have witnessed the miracle of the rebirth of the homeland of the Jewish people, and I cannot wait to see what the next 75 years bring. Am Yisrael Chai.”

According to Bronx Synagogues, the first Jews to settle in The Bronx in appreciable numbers came in the 1840s. These were German and Hungarian peddlers and artisans who came in the wake of Irish immigrants as they moved in to work in the construction of the Harlem and Hudson railroad.

According to totallyjewishtravel.com, the Jewish population of The Bronx is said to be anywhere between 45,000 and 80,000, the smallest Jewish population across the five boroughs. The Jewish population in the 1940s used to make up nearly 60 percent of the boroughs population, but from that time many Jews moved to more prosperous areas, according to the website. There are around 15 synagogues in The Bronx in several different areas, including five in Riverdale and four near Pelham Parkway in Morris Park. There are also a good number of kosher restaurants in Riverdale as well.

According to the website, Bronx Synagogues, the first recorded Jewish institution in The Bronx was a Sunday School, organized in 1884 and later incorporated as Temple Hand in Hand. Synagogues and Jewish organizations which were founded before 1895 were the Temple Hand in Hand of the Bronx at 2772 Third Avenue in 1884; and the Temple Adath Israel at 793 East 169th Street in 1889.

Others were Lebanon Hospital at Cauldwell and Westchester Avenues in 1890; Agudath Achim Anshe Podal at 913 Jennings Street in 1890, Zichron Bachurin Anshei Hungary at 1137 Prospect Avenue in 1890, Hebrew Infant Asylum at Eagle Avenue and 161st Street in 1892, Zichron Israel of the Bronx at 1083 Union Avenue in 1894; and Congregation Ein Jacob at 1424 Minford Place in 1894.

Also according to Bronx Synagogues, the Agudath Achim Anshe Podal synagogue may have been founded somewhere else and later moved to Jennings Street. The records are not clear.

For his part, Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York, said of the landmark building lighting, “Seventy-five years ago, the dream of a modern Jewish democratic State of Israel became a reality.” He added, “On this milestone birthday, these lights represent a New York City united with the State of Israel, and we thank Mayor Adams for his longstanding support and commitment to this critical relationship.”

Meanwhile, Gideon Taylor, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), said, “Today we join people throughout the world in celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Standing with New York’s Jewish community, JCRC-NY wants to wish Israel a happy 75^th birthday.”

He added, “We wish to also thank Mayor Eric Adams for recognizing the unique bond that Israel shares with our great city by lighting up municipal buildings blue and white. We hope to see all of you on June 4^th as we continue the celebration on Fifth Avenue at the Celebrate Israel Parade.”

Finally, Shoham Nicolet, cofounder and CEO of the Israeli-American Council, said of the lighting, “On behalf of the Israeli-American community, we thank Mayor Adams and the City of New York for this bold statement of solidarity with the State of Israel on its 75^th anniversary, and for telling the story of the unbreakable bond between the U.S. and Israel.”

On March 20, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) joined community leaders in calling for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to look into the compliance of law enforcement agencies with the national system to report hate crimes. Gillibrand’s office said that The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) 2021 Hate Crimes Statistics report originally released late in 2022 found that a significant number of law enforcement agencies were failing to report hate crimes through the FBI’s new data collection system, known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

They said this has resulted in unreliable data and artificially low numbers. Gillibrand and Meng planned to send a bipartisan letter to the DOJ to request an overview of the status of NIBRS reporting compliance among law enforcement agencies, as well as recommendations to increase participation in order to ensure the accuracy of federal hate crimes data.

Gillibrand’s office said that while the FBI recently published supplemental data that provided more clarity on the 2021 hate crimes figures, both the senator and Meng are looking to prevent future incomplete and inaccurate accountings of hate crimes in the years to come.

Back in Pelham Parkway, asked if she planned to remove her flag, Shapiro replied, “Absolutely not! I’m going to put up a sign saying you can’t kill us, us meaning all Jews.”

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.