My family is among many from West Hempstead who have sons enrolled at the Yeshiva of South Shore, and every Sunday (when school buses are not available), we take our sons to class. Driving on Peninsula Boulevard, the symbolic gateway to the Five Towns is the railroad overpass followed by the former bank that has served as the Israel Chesed Center since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The row of Israeli flags facing the busy road reassures supporters. Here’s a place where one can physically get involved in packing boots, duffel bags, and other supplies needed in Israel.
In the early morning of June 8, a banner was found hanging on the center’s fence, with “50K dead Gazan Kids” inscribed in red paint. On the same night, two nearby Jewish businesses were vandalized: Avi’s Auto Repair was set on fire, and ASAP Restoration had its window broken. Like many businesses and homes in the Five Towns, the latter proudly displayed the Israeli flag, and neighbors initially thought that the three incidents were related.
“We’ve been in touch with the police,” said Chesed Center co-founder Moshe Bodner. “The police believe that the two businesses are unrelated to the Chesed Center; it could be coincidental. We are obviously a target.”
Based on the letter of the law, the police do not consider the banner a hate crime as it did not target an individual. “Cops are looking for videos,” Bodner said, urging neighboring businesses and homes to share their security camera footage with authorities.
He noted that in the 20 months since the nonprofit was established, only two incidents were recorded at its location. “The first one was a high school kid tearing down a flag,” he said.
Considering its location, the Israel Chesed Center is fortunate to have had a relatively safe record, as hate watchdog groups continue to document acts of anti-Semitism across the country, including damaged public menorahs, torn flags, graffiti, and property damage.
“My phone has been buzzing all day. We need to be strong and double down,” Bodner said. Looking beyond the hateful banner, he shared some of the organization’s recent initiatives for Israel.
“We continue to send gear and clothing. Israeli bureaucracy has not made it easier for us. We continue to send as much as we can. We buy a lot of the stuff in Israel at a favorable price.”
Closer to home, the Israel Chesed Center sponsored a 5K run for Israel, challah baking, lectures for women, and appearances at community events. With the war in its 20th month, donor fatigue is a challenge, so he reminds supporters of the four soldiers killed in Gaza over the weekend, whose bereaved families will be offered a healing retreat. “Even though it’s day 612, it’s day one for hostages, soldiers, and their families.”
Seeing Israeli flags on Central Avenue, the businesses, schools, synagogues, and cars throughout the Five Towns – any of them – could be a target for anti-Semitic vandals relying on the war in Gaza as an excuse.
In the month associated with “pride” and its multicolored flag, why should we hide our support for Israel when others fly their flags? A couple of blocks from my home, there is one house that flies the Palestinian flag. None of my neighbors would even think of touching it. Rather, we fly our flags, we donate our money and time to the cause, we vote, we pray, and we are confident that our support for Israel is correct.
By Sergey Kadinsky
