Councilman Simcha Felder is calling on New York University to impose its harshest disciplinary penalties against a student charged with hate crimes after allegedly raising a swastika-emblazoned flag atop an NYU building during graduation festivities last month.
Authorities announced that Alexander Stepnowsky, 23, of Fairfield, Connecticut, was arrested and charged with burglary and criminal trespass as hate crimes, as well as aggravated harassment. Prosecutors allege he displayed a flag featuring two swastikas, a Star of David, and an NYU logo from the roof of NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development during the university’s Grad Alley celebrations on May 13. NYU campus safety officers removed the flag shortly after it was discovered.
Felder praised NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and law enforcement officials for identifying and arresting the suspect.
“I applaud Commissioner Tisch and the men and women of our NYPD for tracking down and arresting the sick individual responsible for flying a flag bearing swastikas from the top of an NYU school building,” Felder said.
While NYU has stated the student will face disciplinary proceedings carrying the university’s “most severe consequences,” Felder argued that anything less than revocation of any degree to which the student may be entitled would undermine the school’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
“The NYPD did its job,” Felder said. “Now it’s time for NYU to do theirs.”
Monmouth County Commissioner Erik Anderson Welcomes Community Members to the Jersey Shore
Monmouth County Commissioner Erik Anderson
For many, spending the summer in Monmouth County is a tradition that spans generations, and for good reason. From our iconic beaches and vibrant downtowns to scenic parks and preserved farmland, Monmouth County truly has something for everyone.
This year is especially meaningful as our nation commemorates its 250th anniversary. Across Monmouth County, residents and visitors alike have come together to celebrate our rich history through special programs and events that honor Monmouth County’s role in our nation’s founding.
While many families continue the tradition of spending summers at the shore, more and more have chosen to make Monmouth County their year-round home. This reflects the excellent quality of life in our County, something my fellow Commissioners and I work hard to maintain.
Our Jewish community, in particular, has experienced remarkable growth in recent years and continues to play an integral role in the strength, vitality, and rich cultural fabric of Monmouth County.
I hope you take advantage of all our County has to offer. For more information, you can visit Monmouth County Tourism’s website: tourism.visitmonmouth.com.
Wishing you a healthy, safe, and fun summer season!
Very truly yours,
Erik Anderson
Monmouth County Commissioner
Bearing Witness: MDY Seniors Journey Through Poland
Last month, Magen David Yeshiva seniors embarked on the first leg of their Senior Trip to Poland and Israel, beginning a profound journey through the heart of Jewish history and memory. Guided by Rabbi David Elnadav, students visited sites where vibrant Jewish communities once flourished before the devastation of the Holocaust.
The journey opened in Treblinka, where Rabbi Dr. Noam Weinberg taught about prewar Jewish life before students walked the grounds of the extermination camp. Through tefillah, reflection, and song, they strengthened their connection to the past and to their Jewish identity.
In Lublin, students reflected through personal journaling and visits to Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin, where they heard divrei Torah from Rabbi Joey Mizrahi. At Majdanek, the proximity of the camp to ordinary life made the tragedy especially haunting. Standing together in the gas chambers, students recited Shema Yisrael, affirming the resilience of the Jewish spirit.
In Krakow, the group visited the Ghetto Memorial and Oskar Schindler’s factory before continuing to Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Guided by personal reflections shared by Mrs. Stephanie Shamah, students confronted the remnants of lives lost and the weight of history beneath the “Arbeit Macht Frei” arch.
The Poland experience concluded in Warsaw, where students visited key sites of the Warsaw Ghetto before continuing on to Eretz Yisrael with a deeper sense of connection, memory, and responsibility.