Community members speak out after anti-Semitic flyers found in Irondequoit

IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — An Irondequoit neighborhood is riled after people woke up to dozens of anti-Semitic flyers left at their homes.

They were dropped off at several homes in the Laurelton neighborhood. Police are now looking for those responsible. These disturbing flyers attack several prominent Jewish people and blame them for perceived social problems.

These are photos of the flyers several homeowners found on their property Sunday morning. For years now Jewish communities all across the country have been targeted.

“I’m just really sad this happened in our community, and hopefully the right people will be contacted about this,” East Irondequoit resident Dilara Karahan said.

Dilara Karahan talked to News10NBC over the phone Monday night about her early morning walk along Spencer Road in her East Irondequoit neighborhood early Sunday morning. She started to notice multiple baggies containing anti-Semitic flyers in them on the driveways of a few homes.

“After I noticed a few I realized shortly that someone had passed out those letters, and at that point, I had taken a picture and had decided to post it to the Ring app to make sure that the neighborhood was aware,” Karahan said.

The flyers contained the pictures and names of several prominent Jewish men. Karahan, who isn’t Jewish herself, was dismayed by the hatred toward her Jewish neighbors.

Karahan is hoping more can be done to end all the hate.

“This should not be condoned, and this should be addressed,” Karahan said. “So I think you know I like to believe I surround myself around individuals who have like mindset that would not believe in this is ever OK to any degree.”

Though shocking, Meredith Dragon, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, says the flyers are not surprising. Dragon says this is just another instance of hatred against Jews.

“I think it makes everyone feel unnerved and feel like we aren’t as welcomed as we always thought that we were in this country, which is founded on the principles of welcoming refugees and strangers,” Dragon said. “We will continue to persevere. This is how anti-Semitism presents itself whether you’re talking about during the time of the Crusades or the Inquisition or Europe in the 1920s and 30s. The history of anti-Semitism is that we’re blamed for whatever is wrong. Whatever that may be.”

Dragon urges anyone who received one of these flyers to contact Irondequoit Police. Police are also looking for anyone who may have surveillance video showing these flyers being dropped off.