Skip To Content
JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT.
Breaking News

Dov Hikind Launches Campaign Against ‘Nazi Neighbors’

Image by Facebook/Dov Hikind

A new campaign launched by New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind calls for Nazi war criminals living in the United States to be brought to justice. “Would you be a Nazi’s neighbor?”, the ad asks.

The Brooklyn assemblyman, a son of survivors, said that he is committed to pursuing Nazis living in the United States. The provocative posters are part of Hikind’s #NoNazisInUS campaign. His site alleges that some Nazis have already been identified by the U.S. Justice Department.

The posters are set to begin appearing at bus stops and newspapers this week.

Image by Facebook/Dov Hikind

“Several Nazis suspected of taking part in wartime atrocities are currently living freely in the United States,” the ad reads. “With a united voice, we can remove this evil from our midst and gain a small measure of justice for the millions of victims of the Third Reich.”

The campaign names Jakiw Palij, reportedly a Nazi camp guard who now lives in Queens. Hikind, joined by a number of Holocaust survivors and hundreds of yashiva students, protested last year at the home, according to Hikind’s website.

“Palij has had it pretty good in Queens,” the website quotes Hikind saying. “That’s an insult to decency. It is an affront to justice. Worst of all, it is a vile slur to the innocent souls of the men, women and children murdered by Nazis,” he said.

But not everyone thinks Hikind’s campaign is so tasteful. A blog post in Heeb Magazine notes that the hunt for Nazis has little to do with Hikind’s real job in Albany. In a seemingly sarcastic jab, the blogger writes, “Still, Hikind might be on to something here; For those of you planning an upcoming move, it’s important to ask your realtor if your new neighborhood is zoned “Nazi-free.”

The posters feature a photo allegedly showing Nazis moving Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to a collection point to be sent to the Treblinka Extermination Camp. Another set of ads show a picture of crematoria. Both pictures ask, “Would you be a Nazi’s neighbor?

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

Republish This Story

Please read before republishing

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search.  See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.

To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.