‘Burn in Hell’: Jewish Center at University of Florida Vandalized with Antisemitic Graffiti

The Chabad UF Jewish Student Center was vandalized with “horrific anti-Semitic graffiti and hateful slurs,” on Friday, the synagogue said in a statement.

Photos of the vandalism shared to X show signs belonging to the Jewish center scribed with the phrases, “star of Molec,” “child murderers,” and “burn in hell.”

“This is an attempt to intimidate us and the proud Jewish Life and Learning Chabad UF provides to the students and community,” Rabbi Berl Goldman, who leads the Chabad UF Jewish Student Center, said in a statement shared to Facebook. “We will not be cowed by hate, but will in fact double our efforts to strengthen Judaism, advocate for Israel and continue to bring light and joy to the UF, SFC and Gainesville communities.”

A report has been filed with local police. Chabad UF said it will boost security measures in the wake of the incident.

The number of antisemitic attacks soared following Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which took the lives of 1,200 people and wounded thousands more. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have since launched military operations in Gaza with the goal of destroying Hamas and securing the release of the hostages taken by the Palestinian terror group last month. To date, 58 hostages held in Gaza have been released amid a four-day pause on fighting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in Gaza on Sunday, declaring that the Jewish state will be victorious over Hamas.

“I am here to tell the soldiers, who all tell me the same thing, and I repeat it to you, citizens of Israel: We are continuing until the end — until victory,” Netanyahu said. “Nothing will stop us, and we are convinced that we have the force, the strength, the will and the determination to achieve all of our goals for the war, and this is what we will do.”