GA House members stand with Jewish member after antisemitic flyers found

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Members of the Georgia legislature showed their support for state Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs) on Monday morning after three antisemitic flyers were left in her driveway.

According to officials, “hate-filled” flyers were found in several communities on Saturday in metro Atlanta, including Sandy Springs and Dunwoody.

“It’s unsettling,” Panitch said, “to have the place that you’re supposed to feel the most at peace ... to have that place targeted by somebody whose goal is to destroy your people, I mean that’s your stated goal is to rid the world of Jews, it’s unsettling.”

ORIGINAL STORY: Antisemitic flyers found across metro Atlanta, police investigating

Panitch is the only Jewish member of the Georgia General Assembly. She and state Rep. John Carson (R-Marietta) recently introduced a bill that provides an official state definition of antisemitism. If passed, it could trigger enhanced penalties under the state’s new hate crime law.

I’ve never seen so many people at the well. These House members stand with @epanitch after antisemitic flyers were left in her driveway. Police are investigating after several communities were targeted over the weekend @ATLNewsFirst pic.twitter.com/WMESooI0WD
— Abby Kousouris (@AbbyKousouris) February 6, 2023

Law enforcement in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs are investigating the flyers.

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Panitch, an attorney, is serving her first term in the state House. She has been involved in several high-profile cases over her legal career, including the 2010 shooting death of Rusty Sniederman by Hemy Neuman outside a Dunwoody daycare center. Panitch represented Ariela Neuman in her divorce from Hemy Neuman, who was convicted in 2016, a murder case that rocked Atlanta’s Jewish community.