Friends and neighbors of a Jewish woman in Novato have pledged a reward for information leading to the arrest of anti-Semitic vandals who targeted her home.
When Joan Hangarter returned from a vacation earlier this month to discover that a group of vandals had left an anti-Semitic message on her lawn, she was doubly shocked.
First off, how could something like that happen in Novato? And second, who knew she was Jewish?
On the evening of Dec. 31, Hangarter’s neighbors heard a group of what sounded like high school-aged boys on her property and called the police. When police arrived, they discovered the Hangarter home had been “toilet-papered” with “F–k You Jew” spelled out in large toilet paper letters on the front lawn.
“This is out of the blue. And maybe it wasn’t even teenagers. If someone is pissed off at us, there are better ways to communicate,” said Hangarter, the host of an Internet radio show and single mother of two.
“I’m a little nervous now when I come home. Novato is a genuinely safe area, and I never had to look over my shoulder.”
Hangarter has since spoken with representatives of the Anti-Defamation League, and says she is touched by an outpouring of support from friends and neighbors. Aaron Brown, president of Novato’s school board, is working to create a reward fund. Friends Kathy and Bill Schlegel have pledged $500 to the fund.
Hangarter said her family is Jewish but not practicing. She has a son in 8th grade and a daughter in 10th grade at Novato High. She is unsure if her daughter ever mentioned the family’s religion at school — and adds that some of her daughter’s classmates only discovered the family is Jewish because of this incident.
Novato has had hate incidents in the recent past, confirmed Lt. Jim Laveroni, the Novato Police Department’s public information officer, but not of an anti-Semitic nature.
There were past toilet-paperings in which nasty messages were left on people’s property, though these incidents were not anti-Semitic in nature, he said.
Anyone with information relating to the case is urged to call (415) 897-4361.