Antisemites ‘Zoom-Bomb’ Memorial Service at Connecticut Synagogue With Nazi Imagery
by Algemeiner Staff
Online meeting platform Zoom.
A virtual service held by a synagogue in Connecticut on Monday night was “Zoom-bombed” with antisemitic and Nazi imagery.
About 80 people were taking part in a memorial service held by the Emmanuel Synagogue in West Hartford for a recently-deceased congregant when the attack took place. Shocked worshipers, including the grieving family, were assailed by two online intruders who interrupted prayers with pornographic videos and Nazi imagery while shouting antisemitic comments.
The incident was reported to the West Hartford Police Department and the regional office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
Alan Simon, the synagogue’s president, told local news outlet News 8 that despite the incident, he was still encouraging congregants to participate in virtual services on the Zoom platform.
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“It’s concerning, it makes me feel sad that there are people in this world whose purpose is to hurt others,” Simon said. “We understand that there are both good and bad things that happen and this is a bad thing.”
Simon added that an “expert from Zoom” had been brought in to assist the synagogue with securing its online services.
Simon emphasized that his community would not be fazed by the attack.
“We are never intimidated by hatred,” he said. “We are the people of Moses, we are the people of David, we are the people of Esther. We have suffered hate crimes throughout millennia and never have we bowed and never will we bow.”
