JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A billboard and a shopping center marquee in Jacksonville were both vandalized with anti-Zionist and anti-Israel messages Thursday. One of the signs was a shopping center marquee off Beach Boulevard near Country Side Rd. The other was a billboard that was just put up by national non-profit, JewBelong.
Rabbi Shmuli Novack, the Director of Chabad at Town Center and UNF, was celebrating the first night of Hannukah when he learned of the vandalism.
"To use this opportunity to start condemning Israel and the Jewish people is really sinister," Rabbi Novack said.
The billboard was supposed to read: 'Let's be clear: Hamas is your problem too.' It is part of a campaign by JewBelong to fight antisemitism. The billboard is one of three that were put up within the last week around Jacksonville.
The messages did not specifically mention Judaism. Instead, they focused on Zionism, which is a movement for the development and protection of a Jewish state. The messages included 'Zionists are terrorists' and 'F**k Israel.' Palestinian flags were also painted on the billboard.
Rabbi Novack was disappointed to see something like this happen in his community.
"It has to be called out exactly for what it is. And it's despicable. It's inexcusable, and it's unacceptable," Rabbi Novack said.
Jacksonville city leaders are also speaking out against the vandalism. Mayor Donna Deegan 'condemned' the graffiti, and called for unity.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the minimum charge the perpetrator could face is criminal mischief, but there is no word yet on who is behind this.
Despite the upsetting messages, Rabbi Novack said the Jewish community in Jacksonville is resilient, and this will not stop them from celebrating the Hanukkah holiday.
“That's the message of Hanukkah. It's a message of hope and it's a message of light. And it's a message that the Jewish community is not intimidated. We're not fearful, we're taking precautions because that's necessary, but we're united as ever before," Novack said.
A spokesperson for JewBelong said the billboard will be replaced in a few days. This is the first instance of vandalism to one of these billboards in Florida.