Chabad of Richmond in California responding to a series of escalating antisemitic actions by Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, not with silence or departure, but by purchasing a permanent Jewish center in the heart of the city, near Richmond City Hall.
Rabbi Yitzchok and Rochel Wagner, who direct Chabad of Richmond, announced that the community is “in contract” on a property and has launched a major building campaign, describing the project as “the most Jewish way possible” to answer growing antisemitism: by building and expanding Jewish life.
Martinez drew national attention in December 2025 after sharing conspiracy posts on LinkedIn that claimed the antisemitic shooting attack at a Chanukah celebration near Sydney’s Bondi Beach was a “false flag” operation orchestrated by Israel.
He also amplified rhetoric suggesting that “the root cause of antisemitism is the behavior of Israel and Israelis,” comments that Jewish groups said echoed classic antisemitic tropes and blamed Jews for hatred against them.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area and other organizations publicly demanded Martinez’s resignation, calling his behavior “dangerous” and incompatible with the responsibilities of a mayor.
Martinez later posted an apology on LinkedIn, acknowledging that he had shared “deeply offensive” and inaccurate content, but he has refused to step down, insisting he sees no need to resign.
Jewish leaders say the LinkedIn episode is part of a longer pattern of extreme anti‑Israel activity by Martinez since he took office.
In October 2023, the Richmond City Council, with Martinez’s support, passed a controversial resolution “affirming support and solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza,” accusing Israel of “apartheid,” “ethnic cleansing,” and “collective punishment,” while many Jewish residents said their suffering and trauma were barely acknowledged.
At a packed council meeting, more than 300 residents spoke, and Jewish community members warned that the city’s message left them feeling unwelcome and unsafe in Richmond.
Martinez nonetheless publicly defended the resolution and has positioned Richmond as a national outlier in its harsh rhetoric against Israel during a time of war and soaring antisemitism.
In August 2024, Martinez spoke at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit, an event later scrutinized for platforming speakers who praised or justified terrorist groups.
Coverage of the conference shows Martinez comparing the conflict to a schoolyard fight and describing the “part of him” that could not endure abuse anymore as “Hamas,” a framing that Jewish organizations, including ADL, condemned as “revolting” and an implicit justification of terrorism.
Reports and video from the same event show Martinez wearing a cap emblazoned with the acronym “DDTTIDF,” widely understood to mean “Death to the IDF,” which critics say goes far beyond policy criticism and openly targets Israeli soldiers with calls for violence.
Martinez has also supported prominently flying the Palestinian flag at Richmond City Hall as an official symbol of the city’s alignment, a step that, in combination with his rhetoric, many Jews say erases their sense of belonging in the city’s public square.
“We Will Respond by Building, Not Leaving”
Against this backdrop, Chabad of Richmond framed the mayor’s LinkedIn posts as a painful escalation for local Jews already under pressure.
In a message shared with the community, Rabbi Wagner wrote that many had expressed “worry, anger and deep hurt” seeing antisemitic conspiracy theories promoted by their own mayor days after a deadly antisemitic attack abroad.
Rather than retreat, Chabad announced that it is in contract to purchase a permanent Jewish center “in the heart of Richmond,” moving from its current location in nearby San Pablo to a visible home near City Hall where Jewish life will be firmly rooted in the city center.
The new facility is envisioned as a hub for Torah classes, prayer, holiday celebrations, children’s programs, and public Jewish visibility, sending a clear message that the community intends to grow despite hostility.
Building Campaign: From Pain to Permanent Presence
Chabad’s building drive seeks to raise $540,000 to close on the property and complete the build‑out, with a campaign site explaining that the community has until early spring to secure the funds.
Supporters are invited from across Richmond, San Pablo, El Sobrante, Pinole, and Hercules, with the campaign describing the project as a “permanent Jewish home” where every Jew can feel safe, seen, and proud.
In his message, Rabbi Wagner called the project a direct answer to the mayor’s actions: instead of allowing antisemitic rhetoric to push Jews out of public life, Chabad is deepening its roots at Richmond’s core.
The building campaign page emphasizes that “we will not be silent in the face of antisemitism” and urges friends of the community worldwide to partner in turning a moment of fear into a concrete expansion of Jewish infrastructure.
