MACON, Ga. — Elizabeth Bahar has served as the rabbi of Temple Beth Israel for almost four years. She said antisemitism is based on perceptions and not truth.
"A conspiracy theory against whatever belief Judaism is," Bahar said.
In the last six months of 2023, there were five separate incidents of antisemitic threats and messages targeting her and her temple.
In June, an antisemitic group yelled obscene chants and hung a blowup doll they identified as a gay Jewish man on a pole outside the temple.
Later that fall, flyers were distributed in the neighborhood surrounding the temple in August and October. Bahar said she received a hateful email in September.
"Somebody sought me out and then the 18th of December, there was the swatting incident," Bahar said.
All of that happened in the last six months of 2023, but the most recent threat was sent to her home mailbox.
Ariel Collazo-Ramos was arrested Thursday at his home in High Point, North Carolina for allegedly sending the postcard. Bahar said these acts should be considered crimes.
"Is it a crime to have bad thoughts? No. Is it a crime to be racist? No. Is it a crime to act on it? Yeah," Bahar said.
Federal agents want to keep Collazo-Ramos behind bars because they said he's done this before.
Court documents allege Collazo Ramos sent the only Jewish member of the state general assembly, Esther Panitch, the same threatening postcard as Bahar.
Panitch sponsored House Bill 30 which defines antisemitism. The postcard arrived the day before the bill was signed into law.
While Bahar said antisemitism won't be erased, she believes the law will be helpful.
"It's not going anywhere but it simply says we don't welcome that in the public square. If you're going to have those thoughts, please harbor them in your own private space," Bahar said.
But despite this, Bahar said she doesn't feel uncomfortable in her community.
"The people who are doing this are not from here," Bahar said.
Collazo Ramos has been charged with one count of mailing threatening communications. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Court documents show he's sent similar postcards to Jewish groups in Georgia, West Virginia and New York. They also say he had previously been charged with a crime in North Carolina for attacking his wife.