"Zero tolerance": SF leaders denounce recent acts of antisemitism
Why it matters: The public stand comes after Jewish-owned cafe Manny's was vandalized and a man accused of a violent attack in the Marina was charged with a hate crime.
What they're saying: "As a member of the Jewish community, these incidents hit close to home," Mayor Daniel Lurie said. "I want to be clear that we have zero tolerance for acts of hatred. ... If you commit a hate crime in San Francisco, we will find you and we will arrest you."
There has been "a dramatic rise in antisemitism locally and nationally, on both polar extremes left and right of our politics," Tye Gregory, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said at the press conference.
"This isn't about what's going on outside of the United States in the Middle East or anywhere else," district attorney Brooke Jenkins said. "This is about what we believe and who we are."
State of play: Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, the Bay Area Jewish Community Federation has recorded over 40 threats — including bomb threats to local synagogues, schools and community centers — and more than 220 incidents of harassment and intimidation, senior vice president Rebecca Randall said Friday.
Manny's was hit with graffiti saying "F**k Manny" and "The only good settler is a dead 1" following a night of anti-ICE protests earlier in June.
Meanwhile, the attack in the Marina occurred after a Jewish woman asked a group of people to stop shouting "F**k Jews, free Palestine," she told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Juan Diaz-Rivas punched the woman's friend, repeating antisemitic remarks and causing him to lose consciousness, prosecutors allege. Diaz-Rivas has pleaded not guilty.
The big picture: Jewish leaders across the nation have warned that President Trump's invocation of antisemitism to justify policies like slashing college funds and deporting student protesters risks making Jewish people scapegoats.
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San Francisco Chronicle
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Business Wire
36 minutes ago
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JLens and ADL Condemn UN Report Targeting Companies for Israel Ties
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JLens, a Registered Investment Advisor and sponsor of the JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF (NYSE: TOV; the 'TOV ETF'), along with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the world's leading anti-hate organization, strongly condemn the report issued by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council. Titled 'From economy of occupation to economy of genocide,' the report urges companies to sever ties with Israel, halt operations, and pay reparations. JLens and ADL emphasized that these extreme recommendations seek to further the goals of the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign and are based on distorted legal interpretations and inflammatory rhetoric. The report even goes so far as to call on governments to investigate and prosecute corporate executives whose companies do business in Israel for so-called complicity in 'international crimes and the alleged laundering of related profits.' JLens believes that this is not a serious human rights assessment but rather a politicized attack on the Jewish state and the businesses that operate within it. Of the 13 U.S.-listed public companies named in the UN report, all are currently held in the TOV ETF portfolio. These companies—including leaders in defense, technology, and finance—are long-standing contributors to Israel's economy, security, and innovation ecosystem. 'This report is not a human rights analysis—it is a blatant effort to economically isolate Israel,' said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of ADL. 'Francesca Albanese has a long record of antisemitic rhetoric and abuse of her UN platform, and has been condemned by the US, France, and Germany for her antisemitism. Her work undermines human rights and fuels hate, not accountability.' Of the 13 TOV-held companies named in the report, five—HP Inc., Microsoft, BlackRock, Lockheed Martin, and IBM—have earned JLens' highest ' metzuyan ' (excellent) designation and are overweighted in the ETF. 'We helped build the TOV ETF so Jewish investors could stand up for our values and stand with companies that do the right thing, including supporting Israel,' said Ari Hoffnung, Managing Director of JLens. 'This report directly attacks many of TOV's top holdings. We are proud to represent shareholders in these U.S. companies and will reach out to each one to reaffirm our support and urge them to continue rejecting BDS pressure.' Since launching on the New York Stock Exchange in February 2025, the TOV ETF has grown to over $160 million in assets, reflecting strong interest from investors seeking a values-aligned strategy rooted in Jewish advocacy and shareholder engagement. The Fund tracks the 500 largest U.S. public companies and uses a proprietary screening and scoring process to assess alignment with Jewish values—including support for Israel. JLens then engages with portfolio companies through proxy voting, board-level dialogue, and other forms of shareholder advocacy to combat antisemitism, oppose BDS, and advance the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). TOV was developed in response to the alarming rise of antisemitism, and the increasing efforts to target U.S. corporations as instruments in an attempt to economically harm Israel. Anti-Israel activists are targeting companies through sophisticated tactics—including shareholder resolutions and university divestment campaigns. At the same time, many Jewish employees face challenging workplace environments, with internal employee protests taking place at major companies like Alphabet. The ETF provides a mechanism for investors to engage directly with companies on these emerging risks. The UN report's call for divestment and reparations is part of a broader trend of politically motivated financial activism that poses real risks for investors. In a prior analysis, JLens forecast that the 100 largest U.S. university endowments would forgo $33 billion in investment gains over 10 years if they adopted BDS-aligned investment strategies. This illustrates how such ideologically driven divestment campaigns not only undermine Israel but also jeopardize long-term portfolio performance. JLens and ADL jointly urge asset managers, trustees, university boards, and institutional investors to reject this UN report and stand firmly with the companies committed to Israel's future. JLens' shareholder advocacy focuses on combating antisemitism and hate, supporting Israel, and promoting the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). JLens has a strong track record of running campaigns which call on shareholders to reject anti-Israel shareholder proposals at top companies including Alphabet, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Intel. Public U.S. Companies Named in the UN Report (Alphabetical with Tickers): Airbnb, Inc. — (NASDAQ: ABNB) Alphabet (Google) — (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Amazon — (NASDAQ: AMZN) BlackRock — (NYSE: BLK) Booking — (NASDAQ: BKNG) Caterpillar Inc. — (NYSE: CAT) Chevron Corporation — (NYSE: CVX) Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) — (NYSE: HPE) HP Inc. — (NYSE: HPQ) IBM — (NYSE: IBM) Lockheed Martin — (NYSE: LMT) Microsoft — (NASDAQ: MSFT) Palantir Technologies — (NYSE: PLTR) Private U.S. Companies Named in the UN Report (Alphabetical): Drummond Company Keller Williams Realty Vanguard Empowered Funds (dba ETF Architect, LLC) is the Fund Advisor. For more information about the JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF, please visit About TOV ETF The JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF (TOV) empowers investors to combat antisemitism and hate, support Israel, and promote the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) through shareholder advocacy. It aims to deliver performance comparable to index funds that track the 500 largest U.S. public companies. About JLens Founded in 2012, JLens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Registered Investment Advisor that empowers investors to align their capital with Jewish values and advocates for Jewish communal priorities in the corporate arena. JLens' Jewish Investor Network is composed of over 30 Jewish institutions, representing $11 billion in communal capital. In 2022, JLens established an affiliation with ADL (Anti-Defamation League), the leading anti-hate organization in the world. More at About ADL ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is 'to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.' Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at The fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The Prospectus and SAI contains this and other important information about the investment company, and it may be obtained by calling (215) 330-4476. Read it carefully before investing. ADL and JLens are affiliated nonprofit organizations. Neither organization's staff receive direct or indirect compensation for referrals or purchases of TOV ETF or any other investment products. This communication is informational and does not constitute a securities offer. Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Visit for the fund's standardized performance and holding details. The Index considers JLens' Jewish Value Pillars in its index methodology and may exclude otherwise profitable investments in companies which have been identified as being in conflict with JLens' Jewish Value Pillars. The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser will not sell any investments due to current or projected underperformance of the securities, industries or sector in which it invests, unless the investment is removed from the Index, sold in connection with a rebalancing of the Index as addressed in the Index methodology, or sold to comply with the Fund's investment limitations. Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large- capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better – or worse – than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. When large capitalization companies are out of favor, these securities may lose value or may not appreciate in line with the overall market. In addition, large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology or consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful small companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. Jewish Values Investing Risk. The Index considers JLens' Jewish Value Pillars in its index methodology and may exclude otherwise profitable investments in companies which have been identified as being in conflict with JLens' Jewish Value Pillars. The Index does not select constituents for inclusion in the Index on the basis of future anticipated performance or capital appreciation, similar to traditional market capitalization-weighted indexes. Responsible Investing Criteria Risk. Because the methodology of the Index selects securities of issuers using responsible investing considerations, the Fund may underperform the broader equity market or other funds that do not utilize responsible investing criteria when selecting investments. New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision. The Fund is distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. The fund's investment advisor is Empowered Funds, LLC, which is doing business as ETF Architect. JLens serves as the Sub-adviser to the Fund. Quasar is not affiliated with ETF Architect or JLens.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Hundreds of Palestinian families flee West Bank camp ahead of Israeli demolition orders
TULKAREM REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — Hundreds of Palestinians have fled a section of the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank after receiving Israeli demolition orders — joining tens of thousands of people to be displaced by an open-ended military offensive in the area. The residents loaded all of their earthly possessions -- mattresses, blankets, washing machines -- onto vehicles on Wednesday before taking one last glimpse of their homes and speeding off. The new demolition order affects some 104 buildings, and at least 400 families now face homelessness, said Faisal Salama, a local official in the camp. Late Wednesday, Israel's Supreme Court temporarily froze the planned demolitions in response to a request from Adalah, a Palestinian human rights group in Israel. The order gave the army until Sept. 2 to respond. But as of late Thursday, none of the displaced residents had returned. The Israeli army declined comment on the order. The exodus on Wednesday is the latest triggered by Israeli operations to stamp out militancy in West Bank refugee camps in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war in Gaza. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been driven out of their homes this year in the largest displacement in the West Bank since Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast war. The Israeli military justified the planned demolitions in Tulkarem, saying it operates in areas 'with high level of terrorism.' It said the decision to demolish buildings in the camp were made based on 'operational necessity' to allow Israeli forces to operate freely and move in the area, and was made after other options were considered. Israel's raids have emptied out and largely destroyed several urban refugee camps in the northern West Bank, such as Tulkarem and nearby Nur Shams. Israel says troops will stay in some camps for a year. Salama said with the latest orders, a total of 1,000 families have been displaced by recent demolition orders. 'Where will these families live? Where will they go? Their fate is uncertain and unknown,' he said. Subhi Hamdan, 65, said he was given just one day to leave. He is worried he won't be able to afford an apartment despite having registered for assistance with the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority. 'Until now we haven't seen anything at all,' he said. 'Where can anyone go?'
