VANDALISM AT 3 NEW ENGLAND SYNAGOGUES AIMS TO INTIMIDATE COMMUNITY:

Recent vandalism targeting three New England synagogues is aimed at intimidating the Jewish community, the director of the New England office of the Anti-Defamation League said. According to Robert Trestan, the attacks at two synagogues in the Boston area and one in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, are part of a spike in anti-Semitic incidents in the region since the start of the year. Trestan said there is no indication the recent incidents - which all occurred in May 2016 - are related, but the short time frame and proximity stand out. "To have three synagogues targeted in a week within 100 miles of each other, that’s a real concern,” Trestan told media sources. "People are intentionally going onto a property of worship to intimidate the community.” He said the uptick in reported anti-Semitic incidents since the beginning of 2016 - particularly in schools, but also in the community - runs from harassment to graffiti. "The incidents already reported to us this year exceed all of 2015, with school-based incidents experiencing the largest increase,” according to a spokesperson at the New England office. The office could not disclose the exact numbers, but the figures will be part of a forthcoming report from the national ADL. (JTA)