Anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel comes with flurry of antisemitic activity in metro Detroit

Anti-Jewish imagery, graffiti in metro Detroit on Oct. 7 anniversary

On a day that already represents one of the most painful moments in decades for Jewish people living both in the U.S. and abroad, many in metro Detroit were reminded of the growing trend of antisemitism in society when hateful imagery appeared in several communities.

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - On a day that already represents one of the most painful moments in decades for Jewish people living both in the U.S. and abroad, many in metro Detroit were reminded of the growing trend of antisemitism in society when hateful imagery appeared in several communities.

While residents in Oakland County awoke this weekend to plastic bags containing animal poison and fliers, Monday included vandalism at the Jewish Federation of Detroit's headquarters in Bloomfield Township.

"It’s antisemitic vandalism - plain and simple - and we condemn it unequivocally," said David Kurzmann of the Jewish Federation of Detroit. "To see this kind of hatred on our building on the anniversary of that day, it’s sickening."

But while the emergence may be a surprise to some residents, Oct. 7 was circled on the calendar for others - including Anti-Defamation League CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt, who told CNN on Sunday that the anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel would come with a rise in antisemitism.

One year ago, today was the deadliest assault in Israel's history when militants killed an estimated 1,200 people and kidnapped approximately 250 others. The ripple effects continue to be felt today as conflict in the Middle East has expanded while Israel has traded air strikes with neighboring countries like Lebanon.

"They’re people, they’re real people and this one is gone. I still think of him," said Carolyn Normandin, the ADL regional director in Michigan, "and hopefully she’s still alive."

Normandin was pointing to two different fliers on a door at the office, each showing the faces of those taken by Hamas year ago.

She said the uptick in attacks against Jewish people has gone up slowly over the past few years, before exploding in 2023.

"I’ve watched as antisemitism has risen over the last five years, six years, seven years - it’s been slowly rising," said Normandin. "It reached a fever pitch last year. And then Oct. 7th released an unmitigated assault of acrimony on the Jewish community,"

The attack at the Jewish Federation's headquarters included antisemitic messages scribbled on the front door.

It was the second attack to occur in three days in metro Detroit. On Saturday, hundreds of families living in various communities like Farmington Hills, Northville, and West Bloomfield found Ziploc bags full of fliers containing anti-Jewish rhetoric.

Some that found them described it as terrifying, prompting a need to protect themselves.

"Every driveway that we walked by had one and there were neighbors that were on the street - they held them up and again you don’t have to be Jewish to be outraged," said Leonard Weiss.

"If you’re a Jewish person, you open the bag and you’re sick to your stomach," said Normandin. "If you’re a non-Jewish person, I want you to open the bag and see it for what it is - something that is trying to sow discord and split our community."

Law enforcement are investigating the incidents.