Antisemitic Comment At Hoboken Meeting Draws Ire From Officials

HOBOKEN, NJ — Several Hoboken City Council members have blasted an antisemitic comment made by a member of the public at the regular council meeting Wednesday night.

At the meeting, the council was considering whether to vote on the mayor's appointments of two new municipal judges — Benjamin Choi as the city's next chief municipal judge, and Scott Pennington as the city's new municipal court judge, starting this September.

The two appointments would mark the first time in the city's history that an Asian American and African American individual held the positions.

The appointments sparked some controversy, but not over race.

In a story on Hudson County View, council members Michael Russo and Ruben Ramos Jr. noted that Mayor Ravi Bhalla hadn't explained why he had decided not to reappoint Judge Cataldo Fazio, whom they said earned praise over decades working for the city.

They said it didn't make sense to replace Fazio, who hoped to continue in the role, without a good reason.

At the council meeting Wednesday, Ramos said, "We get a lot of complaints. This is one area in my 20 public years of public service I haven’t gotten a complaint. Even defendants say he did a great job. During COVID, a very difficult time, the courts ran efficiently."

Later in the meeting, a female resident of the city, who is not an elected official, got up to complain. She said she didn't see why Fazio wouldn't be reappointed.

But then her comment took a turn.

"It’s about as diverse as all the people that have been plucked out of synagogues and all the synagogues that run the city of Hoboken," the resident said, although only one synagogue remains in Hoboken and only two of the city's elected officials, including nine council members, are Jewish.

The remarks echoed antisemitic remarks made nationally that falsely put the blame on Jewish people for various ills. Such comments curry hate while ignoring the history of discrimination that kept Jewish immigrants to America from working in many industries.

Mother Of Three Killed

Several high-profile acts of anti-Jewish hatred have occurred in North Jersey in recent history, including a man throwing a homemade explosive at a synagogue in Essex County this year, and a Sayreville man — who pleaded guilty just this week — threatening to attack Jews last year.

That man's threat caused the FBI to suggest officials put synagogues on alert, including in Hoboken.

Four years ago, a police officer, along with a mother of three, and two other civilians, were shot to death in Jersey City in an antisemitic attack.

On the national level, rapper Kanye West praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Twitter and elsewhere, and a regional chapter of a national political group, Moms for Liberty, quoted Hitler on the front page of their newsletter, then apologized.

Councilman And Others Criticize Resident

5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen, who is Jewish, blasted the remark during the meeting on Wednesday. The next day, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher (who is Jewish but was not at the meeting) sent comments decrying the remark, as did council candidate Marla Decker, who is running for Fisher's seat.

Cohen said Wednesday, “Sadly tonight antisemitic sentiments were expressed in the public room. There is no place in our community for antisemitism. It does not belong in Hoboken.”

Cohen explained later, “It is important that we speak up whenever antisemitism or other forms of bigotry and hatred surface in our community. As a councilman, that is what I’ve done and that is what I will continue to do.”

Cohen said he appreciated support he received from other council members at the meeting.

The council's other Jewish member, Tiffanie Fisher, said, "I'm angered and saddened by the antisemitic remarks made by a Hoboken neighbor — even worse, by someone I know, which makes it feel even more personal. These comments in no way reflect what I know is best about Hoboken — a place where we deeply respect and embrace the diversity of all members of our community."

Mayor Ravi Bhalla and Council President Emily Jabbour issued a joint statement condemning the comment, saying in part:

"Antisemitism has no place in Hoboken and we vehemently denounce any kind of hate speech, bias or discrimination in our open and welcoming community ... we expect all who attend any public gatherings in Hoboken to conduct themselves with decorum and treat everyone in attendance, elected official or not, with respect and dignity."

Watch the meeting using the links at the end of this story.