Jewish Hoosiers Vigilant as Woman Targets Anti-Semitic Building in Indianapolis
Source: Mark Kerrison / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS –The Secure Community Network (SCN) and the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis are closely monitoring a case involving a woman who was charged with crashing her car into a building that is associated with Black Hebrew Israelites.
Ruba Almaghtheh, a 34-year-old woman, is being accused of deliberately driving her vehicle into a building. She mistook the building for a school due to the “Hebrew Israelite” symbol on it. However, the building was being used by an anti-Semitic sect of Black Hebrew Israelites. She claims that her actions were intended to show support for “her people back in Palestine.”
SCN Security Director Brad Swim says his organization has been vigilant about monitoring attacks against the Indiana Jewish community. SCN is the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America.
Swim emphasizes that assaults targeting Jewish Hoosiers extend beyond a particular community. “This issue transcends specific groups; it’s an American concern,” Swim remarked.
“Unfortunately, this is not completely uncharted territory,” he said. “This is something we have been discussing for years.”
Police said when Almaghtheh backed her car into the building, there were several adults and children inside.
“If someone intends to do an attack and then they hit the wrong target, that certainly doesn’t express any less concern to those that were the intended targets,” added Swim.
