Anti-Hamas Message On Electronic Billboard Over Route 80 Prompts Hundreds Of Calls To Police

"Oh, don't be naive," the electronic message on a hot pink background read. "Hamas would chop your head off too."

It was signed "jewbelong."

Bogota police fielded more than 100 complaints from callers, Bogota Police Sgt. Geoffrey Cole said late Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Some were from people who felt threatened by the message, while others expressed fears over possible violence -- not to mention general outrage from those who felt targeted, the sergeant said.

The message was produced by someone whose work many Manhattanites -- as well as bridge and tunnelers -- are familiar with.

JewBelong was co-founded by Archie Gottesman, whose father, Jerry, owned and operated Newark-based Edison Properties in 1956. His empire included Manhattan Mini Storage.

Gottesman met her JewBelong business partner, Stacy Stuart, while both were doing marketing for Manhattan Mini. They created slogans on building signs, many along the West Side Highway, which were both whimsical and attention-grabbing.

Both women brought the same sass to JewBelong ("for when you feel you don’t!") when they launched the nonprofit in 2017.

The idea was the engage with humor and steer folks to their website, which provides various readings and resources for holidays and such.

Most of the early messages were joke-ish.

"So you eat bacon," said one. "God has other things to worry about."

Then there's: "Judaism. Come for your girlfriend. Stay for the lack of Hell."

JewBelong then got snarky, with towering ads that contained messages such as: "If we actually controlled the banks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg would be on the 100-dollar bill.”

JewBelong raised the stakes early last year, shifting the focus to calling out antisemitism and advocating for Israel. "Does your church need armed guards?" one message read. "Cause our synagogue does."

One of JewBelong's most-seen electronic messages was a 10-story hot-pink wrap-around in Times Square.

"We're just 75 years since the gas chambers," it said. "So no, a billboard calling out Jew hate isn't an overreaction -- #EndJewHate."

The stridency has discomfited some Jews who believe the company would do better actually helping instead of blaring what one critic called "cringe content."

The latest campaign, coming amid the war between Israel and Hamas, is by far JewBelong's most extreme. Other messages have pushed buttons, but not like this.

The "chop your head off" electronic message loomed over the interstate from a structure atop the building that once housed the landmark Queen Anne Theater in Bogota. It's right at the border of Teaneck, which has the highest population of Jews in all of New Jersey.

Social media began to swirl with complaints and comments, including one that suggested people call Bogota police and have them get the message pulled.

A hundred or so calls poured into headquarters.

"Bogota police have nothing to do with it," said Cole, the borough sergeant. "There was no criminal violation -- just poor taste."

Department brass consulted with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, which agreed.

As it turned out, the message was removed, although police said they didn't know why or how.

A series of new messages flashed on the screen Tuesday night with photos of abducted young hostages and the hashtag #bringthemback.

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