By Jeff Lipton
Both scrawlings were accompanied with the picture of a male sex organ, police said.
The first incident occurred at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20 when the Nazi graffiti was scribbled on the front steps of a home, officials said. That incident was not reported to Fourth Precinct police until last Friday, authorities said.
The next night, on Thursday, Feb. 21, between 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., the same scrawlings were found on the front window of a private home, just a few doors away from the first incident, police said. The homeowner heard a noise outside the home and noticed a black silhouetted figure by the window, officials said. When the homeowner pulled open the curtain, the person was already gone. Witnesses said they saw three young males running from the scene of that incident, police said.
The two incidents have been referred to the Nassau County Bias Unit, which is investigating.
We don't know if it's a bias crime, but we're looking at it as a possible bias incident, said Det. Alfred Samaniego of the unit. Our early preliminary investigation indicates that it doesn't appear to be overtly bias, but more random in nature.
One of the homeowners is Jewish and the other is not, he said, which may rule out the incident being classified as anti-Semitic.
The detective said ceramic tiles that were piled on another property on Lafayette Place were knocked down as well.
It appears it may be just kids fooling around, Samaniego said. The victims didn't seem fearful, like they had been targeted or anything. They both said it's probably just kids with nothing better to do.
Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg of Congregation Sons of Israel in Woodmere, which is located around the block from the victims' homes, said police are correct to investigate it as a possible bias crime.
Whenever something is viewed either as an ethnic slur or as a threat against a people it is a bias incident and the perpetrator should be held accountable, Rabbi Ginsburg said.
He said the Jewish holiday of Purim, which began sundown Monday night, celebrates the victory of Jews over an act of anti-Semitism in the Ancient world. He said it appears the world has not seen the end of this plague. The holiday, which is observed on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar, reveals the hidden Hand of God in saving the Jews from annihilation by the enemy, Haman, in the year 365 B.C.E. His scheme was to solve the Jewish problem once and for all.
Lt. Larry Feffer of the Fourth Precinct said police are taking the two incidents very seriously. It's a top priority, he said. That's why we developed a Bias Crime Unit.
Feffer said it's the first time he could remember the phrase Nazis Rule in graffiti scribbled in the Five Towns.
It's just unusual to have a picture of a male sex organ drawn with
