Theft of Israeli Flags Causes Worry for Wilton

Concerns over the theft of several Israeli flag signs put up around town this week prompted First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice to send a message Wednesday assailing the crimes and calling them “acts of anti-Semitism that will not be tolerated in Wilton.”

The lawn signs, a gesture of support for the country after the terrorist attack and kidnappings last month, have been stolen from 10 different locations all over Wilton over the past several days.

Police Chief Thomas Conlan said his department is investigating the thefts and has increased patrols in an effort to deter them.

“We are also aware of similar incidents in neighboring towns,” he said, “but we have no evidence to confirm that they are related.”

“We encourage residents to report any missing or vandalized property, as well as any suspicious activity, to the department as soon as possible,” Conlon said. “Timely reporting will increase our chances of apprehending the offender (or offenders).”

In her monthly newsletter on Wednesday, Vanderslice encouraged people to check their outside cameras if they live near someone who has had a sign taken.

“Let’s all be vigilant as a means of showing support,” she said, encouraging residents to reach out to the police if they have information or videos.

“The police are actively investigating,” she said. “The thefts are not only illegal, but are acts of anti-Semitism that won’t be tolerated in Wilton.”

Several residents — both Jews and non-Jews — have had signs taken from their property, highlighting a frightening national and international trend of anti-Semitism that many see harkening back to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust.

“Many members of the Jewish community are scared and traumatized by what is happening abroad and across North America,” said Allison Rabinowitz of Wilton. “We are seeing horrors that we never thought our generation would experience.”

While Rabinowitz had given some signs to other residents to display, she said fear had dissuaded some from putting them out.

“Unfortunately many Jewish residents were scared to display the sign, as there has been a history of anti-Semitism in our community and schools,” she said.

One Wilton resident saw both her own sign and one put up in solidarity by her non-Jewish neighbor stolen.

“I replaced them,” she said, “and hopefully they won’t get stolen again.”

“As the child of Holocaust survivors, it’s very difficult and disappointing to see this happen in our hometown,” she said.

Earlier this week another Wilton resident had the sign in front of her house stripped off the wire stand, which she decided to leave standing on the lawn.

“It’s a reminder to me and anyone that drives by that even our peaceful town of Wilton cannot escape anti-Semitism,” she said.

“When I learned that several other neighbors had experienced the same theft, it outraged me to think someone had been trolling our neighborhood at night to commit anti-Semitic crimes,” she said.

Cantor Harriet Dunkerley of Temple B’nai Chaim in Georgetown admitted feeling worried before deciding to put up a sign outside her home.

“I hate to admit that, when I got the signs, it took me a couple of days to put them up because I was concerned and even a bit afraid of what reactions I might experience from my neighbors,” she said.

“Every report of anti-Semitic activity, violent or not, ratchets up that concern,” she said. “My heart breaks for our college students who may not feel safe on campus right now.”

“This is a very fraught, uncertain and frightening time for the Jewish community,” Dunkerley said.

She and others are hoping members of the community will come out to an event in support of the terrorist-attack victims and the Jewish population in general. The event is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 12, from 2-4 p.m. on the Town Green in Wilton Center.

Yet another Wilton resident had her sign taken, but has since replaced it.

“The sign is up to stand against the rise in anti-Semitism we see on our college campuses, across the country and the world,” she said, “even in our neighboring towns.”

“The fact that the signs have been stolen across our town shows that having them out is more important than ever,” she said.