Flag at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Photo: Corey Seeman.

A Jewish civil rights nonprofit is launching a chapter in the state of Michigan in response to antisemitic incidents of vandalism at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in which someone graffitied swastikas and homophobic slurs on two off-campus a fraternity houses earlier this month.

EndJewHatred, which has successfully pushed for the establishment of “End Jew Hatred Day” in cities and localities across America, made the announcement on Tuesday, citing the need for on the ground personnel trained to react quickly to hate crimes targeting the Jewish community and Jewish institutions.

“The launch of #EndJewHatred movement in Michigan comes in response to a dramatic rise in threats of Jew-hatred over the past year, dangerously fermenting in the state,” EndJewHatred director of mobilization Adar Rubin said in a press release. “We seek to empower, strengthen, and unite the Jewish community on a grassroots level to fight back against bigotry while showing up to demand both direct action and consequence.”

On Friday, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor president Santa J. Ono said that the administration is aware of the vandalism of the fraternity houses and has asked the Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD) to investigate it.

The new EndJewHatred chapter will hold weekly meetings for setting an agenda and training new recruits. Its other activities will include local demonstrations, distribution of flyers raising awareness of antisemitism, and outreach to the local Jewish and non-Jewish community.

Michigan had the 9th most antisemitic incidents in the US in 2022, according to an annual audit issued in March by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In December, a man from Dearborn was charged with ethnic intimidation after shouting “F*** the Jews” and “F*** Israel” at children attending the pre-school of Temple Beth El synagogue.

The problem has spilled into this year.

In June, a federal grand jury indicted 19-year-old Seann Pietila from Pickford, Michigan for allegedly threatening to commit a mass shooting and live stream it on social media. The charges followed an FBI search of his home on June 14 in which guns, knives, military style camouflage clothing, and a Nazi flag were found in his possession. In his iPhone, investigators found a note — dated March 15, 2024 — with the address of a synagogue in East Lansing, Michigan, a city roughly 270 miles south of Pickford.

In March, another Michigan man, Jack Carpenter, who allegedly threatened to kill Jewish state government officials was charged with transmitting interstate threats after tweeting that he would “carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is jewish [sic] in the Michigan govt [sic].” After the arrest, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) said the FBI confirmed that any act of violence would have targeted her.

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.