Overnight in eastern Queens, two synagogues were hit with a filthy act of vandalism that left congregants stunned and angry. By Friday morning, worshippers arriving for services found entrances smeared with what synagogue leaders and neighborhood volunteers described as a mix of motor oil and human excrement on doors and steps. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force has opened an investigation, and local officials quickly labeled the incidents a hate-motivated assault on the community.
What police say
According to police, a suspect "threw a bag of motor oil" at the exterior of an Orthodox synagogue in Queens, and detectives from the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force are now handling the case. The department said officers were notified Friday afternoon and had no immediate additional comment, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Synagogues hit in Jamaica Estates and Holliswood
Local volunteers and congregants identified the targets as Young Israel of Jamaica Estates and Young Israel of Holliswood in eastern Queens. Surveillance footage obtained by local reporters reportedly shows a person running up to the Jamaica Estates entrance at about 11:45 p.m. and hurling a bag that splattered motor oil and excrement across the stoop, according to reporting by the New York Post.
Neighbors and officials react
Elected officials and neighborhood-watch volunteers denounced the vandalism and demanded quick accountability. Assemblymember Nily Rozic called the incidents "another outrageous example of the sustained hate faced by our community" and said she was coordinating with police, as reported by VINnews.
Why investigators treat it as a bias incident
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force becomes involved when officers determine an offense was driven in whole or in part by a victim’s religious identity, and bias enhancements can increase penalties for crimes such as criminal mischief and harassment. NYPD data released this year show that Jewish New Yorkers made up more than half of confirmed hate-crime victims in the first half of 2026, a trend that helps explain why law enforcement treats attacks on houses of worship with heightened concern, according to the NYPD.
How to help
Investigators are asking anyone with information or security footage to contact the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force or the local precinct, and the congregations say they are reviewing camera footage and tightening security. Police have not announced any arrests as of the latest reports, and authorities are urging witnesses to come forward, as reported by The Times of Israel.
