Freehold, NJ – Students in the Freehold Regional High School District are facing scrutiny following the finding of deeply antisemitic online posts, including calls to “kill every last Jew” and disturbing references to the Holocaust. The incident has ignited alarm within the largely Jewish community of Monmouth County and prompted condemnation from district officials.
The posts, revealed to parents, included suggestions to dress as “shoeless children from the Holocaust” and a chilling proposition to fill a classmate’s vape with “the smoke from the gas chamber,” according to Tarra Premisler, a parent who reviewed the messages. The incident underscores growing concerns about the effectiveness of current Holocaust education and the rise of antisemitism among young people.
Superintendent Dr. Nicole Hazel swiftly condemned the messages,stating the district is “taking immediate action” and acknowledging that such hate “is not created in a vacuum… it demands education.” While the district has declined to disclose specific disciplinary measures due to privacy laws, parents are demanding openness and stronger consequences.
Beth Katz Nelson, a parent and deputy director of the yad Vashem USA Foundation-and a grandchild of Holocaust survivors-characterized the incident as evidence that existing Holocaust-education efforts “are not enough.” The incident has spurred calls from residents and elected officials for the district to enhance its response to hate speech and bolster educational programs addressing antisemitism.
