Jewish cemetery vandalized; Cuomo starts investigation

Vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in Rochester raised the specter Thursday of a local version of the anti-Semitic hate crimes seen elsewhere across the country.

Throughout the day Thursday, cemetery officials and police found that the destruction  — the toppling this week of headstones at Waad Hakolel (Vaad Hakolel) Cemetery in northwest Rochester — was worse than initially thought. Early Thursday, cemetery officials said the damage could be simple hooliganism. But, as the day went on, the number of desecrated grave markers increased from a half dozen to at least a dozen and the initial belief that none had been defaced turned out to be wrong.

"We are actively investigating the circumstances which led to the damage of the headstones," Rochester police spokeswoman Investigator Jacqueline Shuman said in a news release. "There are currently no suspects in custody at this time, but we will continue to update everyone on any new developments."

About a hundred headstones were recently overturned in a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia, only about a week after a similar crime in Missouri.

►Vandalized cemetery's visitors sad, angry, eager to help

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on the State Police to also investigate the Rochester vandalism as a possible hate crime.

”In recent weeks and months, the family of New York — people of all creeds, colors and backgrounds — have witnessed a dramatic increase in acts of hate and intolerance," Cuomo said in a statement. "The State Police Hate Crimes Task Force, in partnership with federal and local authorities, have launched aggressive investigations into reported hate crimes across the state."

Officials at the nonprofit Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester say the vandalism should be viewed in the current environment, a time when bigotry seems to be manifesting itself into crimes.

Noting reports of more than 180 anti-Semitic incidents in the past month, Karen Elam, the Federation's Director of Community Relations, said in a statement: "We are deeply disturbed by rising acts of anti-Semitism across the country, including bomb threats made to Jewish community centers, Jewish day schools, and synagogues. We encourage our elected officials to continue to denounce publicly these actions and call on local, state, and federal law enforcement to investigate and swiftly bring the perpetrators to account."

Elam visited the cemetery, also called Stone Road cemetery, Thursday and said at least a dozen headstones had been knocked over and some had defaced markings upon them.

Rochester's Board of Rabbis said in a statement that the spate of hate crimes must be addressed on a national level, with the Department of Justice training local police how to confront bias-based offenses. The national Anti-Defamation League has proposed this training, along with other steps, including the convening of a federal task force to combat hate. The ADL is also offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the vandalism.

On Thursday, the national Muslim organization, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, also condemned the vandalism and offered to assist the cemetery in any way it could.

"We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters and offer our support," Salaam Bhatti, the group's spokesperson, said in a news release.

In August 2014 vandals shoved over close to 40 headstones at the Britton Road Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery managed by the same nonprofit group overseeing Waad Hakolel Cemetery. Greece police determined the crimes were not motivated by hate.

Philly vandals damage Jewish gravesites

Lawmakers and law enforcement officials have seen a recent rise in antisemitic acts, including dozens of bomb threats to Jewish community centers.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York on Wednesday asked the Federal Communications Commission to consider waiving a privacy rule so that Jewish community centers could track callers because of the bomb threats.

Sen. Charles Schumer: JCCs should be able to trace bomb threats

Since the beginning of this year, there have been at least 69 incidents targeting 54 JCCs in 27 states.

GCRAIG@gannett.com

Includes reporting by staff writers Todd Clausen and Nicole Gaudiano.