Editor’s note: This story has been edited to remove a link to an anti-Semitic website and its quoted content. This change was made after receiving feedback from a member of Wausau’s Jewish community. Comments and suggestions are always welcome at [email protected].

By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review

Residents in Wausau say they received anti-Semitic leaflets stuffed in their mailboxes over the weekend that connects Jewish religious law with satanism.

The propaganda distribution comes amid a wave of anti Jewish sentiment in Wisconsin and nationwide, and at a time when a Wausau mayoral candidate has repeatedly expressed his own anti-Semitic views. The same man, Christopher Wood, spoke during a Marathon County committee meeting to accuse Jews who have “dual citizenship with Israel” of creating a COVID-19 “scam” during a public meeting, amid a mix of stunned gaps and applause from the crowd.

Wausau resident Dave Prokop shared the leaflet he found in his mailbox, which has a link to an anti-Semitic propaganda website and urges readers to research the Talmud and the influence of the Jewish people. The website itself features additional printable flyers that link mass immigration, Disney, the Anti-Defamation League, feminism, Donald Trump’s campaign fundraising and even the 9/11 tragedy to Jews.

The website also gives details on how to distribute flyers to promote anti-Jewish sentiment while avoiding criminal prosecution.

The flip side of the flyer calls out national media outlets and says they are controlled by Jewish people.

Since the Hamas massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, U.S. antisemitic incidents reached the highest number of incidents during any two-month period since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking in 1979, according to preliminary data released in December.

Between Oct. 7 and Dec. 7, ADL recorded a total of 2,031 antisemitic incidents, up from 465 incidents during the same period in 2022, representing a 337-percent increase year-over-year. This includes 40 incidents of physical assault, 337 incidents of vandalism, 749 incidents of verbal or written harassment and 905 rallies including antisemitic rhetoric, expressions of support for terrorism against the state of Israel and/or anti-Zionism. On average, in a 61-day span, Jews in America experienced nearly 34 antisemitic incidents per day.

“This terrifying pattern of antisemitic attacks has been relentless since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, with no signs of diminishing,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “The lid to the sewers is off, and Jewish communities all across the country are being inundated with hate. Public officials and college leaders must turn down the temperature and take clear action to show this behavior is unacceptable to prevent more violence.”

In October, a group of people dressed in Jewish costumes, described by witnesses as caricatures, circulated anti-Semitic leaflets on Halloween throughout the neighborhood.

Residents responded on social media with anger and called the actions “awful” and “sickening.”

“So very sad to see this,” wrote one poster.