How a Jersey City community came together to stand against hate and heal together.

Jersey City Jewish Community Menorah Mural — The Green Villain with Neighborhood Jersey City Children writing messages of light and love.

Four Years Later

This week marks the anniversary of what has been considered the deadliest and most violent attack in Jersey City's recent history and one of the worst hate crimes in New Jersey . This pre-meditated domestic terrorist attack took the lives of 4 innocent community members.

On December 10th, 2019, two armed individuals carrying guns, ammunition, and explosive devices launched an attack on the Jewish community in the Greenville section of Jersey City. It was later revealed that this targeted assault on Jersey City's only Kosher Market was actually intended to harm the Jewish Day School next to it. The incident sent shockwaves through the Jersey City Jewish community and left a lasting impact on the city as a whole.

That afternoon our city turned into a virtual war zone as hundreds of shots were fired across three crime scenes over a 4-hour gun battle and police standoff. Children lost their parents, spouses lost their partners, and the city lost its sense of security.

"Six people, including one police officer, were killed in Jersey City, N.J., on Tuesday in a series of gunfights that brought destruction to a kosher market and made a residential area feel like a war zone."

- New York Times

In the afternoon, our beloved Jersey City was transformed into a virtual war zone as hundreds of shots were fired across three crime scenes during a 4-hour gun battle and police standoff. The devastating consequences were felt deeply as children were left without parents, spouses lost their partners, and the entire city was stripped of its sense of security. Fear and panic quickly spread throughout the neighborhoods like wildfire, prompting a dozen Jersey City schools to initiate lockdown procedures for several hours. This unfortunate situation resulted in thousands of students being confined to their classrooms well after the typical school day had ended. Children of all ages found themselves taking shelter in various locations - from bathrooms and closets to huddled corners within classrooms - all while sirens continued to blare in the background.

The tragic events that unfolded not only shook Jersey City but also had a profound impact on its tight-knit Jewish community. The shocking shooting incident sent shockwaves throughout the city, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and deeply unsettled. As news spread about this horrifying event, members of the community banded together, offering support and solace to those affected by this senseless act of violence.

In the aftermath of the Jersey City shooting, parents across Jersey City communities shared a collective sense of anxiety and anguish. They worried about their children's well-being, unsure of their emotional state and whether they were scared. Most importantly, they longed to know when they would be able to bring their children safely home. As a parent myself, I experienced this uncertainty firsthand. It took seven hours from the initial notification and four hours after their scheduled dismissal time before I was finally allowed to pick up my 4-year-old and 5-year-old from their school in Lincoln Park, just blocks away from the shootout. They were among the last students to be released from lockdown that day. Despite the tense situation, I am grateful that my children attend a school in Jersey City where safety measures were promptly implemented.

As parents, it is important to recognize that our children are not solely influenced by our individual choices, but also by the community we foster around them. It is disheartening to live in a world where we constantly worry about the safety of our children when sending them to school. Unfortunately, both external and internal bias hate crimes have become all too common in their educational institutions. This issue hits close to home, particularly in some neighborhoods of Jersey City where shootings occur so frequently that they no longer garner media attention or public acknowledgment.

It is during times like these that we must remember the resilience and strength that defines our great city. As we mourn those who were lost during this tragedy, we stand united in our determination to rebuild and restore our community's sense of security. Together, we will heal and ensure that such acts of violence have no place in our beloved Jersey City. By embracing kindness, compassion, and understanding, we can triumph over darkness and create a brighter future for our communities, future generations, and the world at large. Our unity in diversity will always be our greatest source of strength.

Our diversity will always be our strength.

Hate has no place in our city.

#TikkunOlam

Menorah Mural

A mural of a Menorah, a symbol of the Jewish festival of lights was created and dedicated to the memory of Det. Joseph Seals, Leah Mindel Ferencz, Douglas Miguel Rodriguez, and Moshe Deutsch.
The interactive public art project very quickly became a destination for local community members to leave notes of support, prayers for all and messages of anti-hate. The hope was that with enough messages of light and love it would overtake the darkness behind it.
On each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, different local artists and community leaders were invited to paint a large flame on each of the branches of the menorah, thus completing the mural. A beacon of light for the 42k vehicles driving by each day.

Created by:
@moullyart @greenvillain
@chabad_hoboken_jc
@chabad_young_hjc

The Mural, located at the South Western corner of 575 Manilla Ave - 4 blocks from the entrance to the Holland Tunnel, blazed the message "#LightOverDarkness” over a menorah used to celebrate Hanukkah, the jewish festival of lights and was dedicated to the memory of Det. Joseph Seals, Leah Mindel Ferencz, Douglas Miguel Rodriguez, and Moshe Deutsch. The interactive public art project very quickly became a destination for local community members to leave notes of support, prayers for all and messages of anti-hate.

Dedicated to the Jersey City Community.

On each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, different local artists and community leaders were invited to paint a large flame on each of the branches of the menorah, thus completing the mural. Positioned directly between the inbound and outbound roads of the Holland Tunnel and across from the Port Authority Police Department, this mural will be a beacon of light for the 42k vehicles driving by each day.