NH man charged with harassing synagogue must write letter of apology
May 21—NEWBURYPORT — A New Hampshire man accused of leaving antisemitic phone messages at Congregation Ahavas Achim last summer was ordered to stay away and have no contact with the Washington Street synagogue.
Aidan Kelley, 21, of Exeter, was also ordered to write a letter of apology to Congregation Ahavas Achim Leader Alex Matthews and to perform 40 hours of community service. He was arraigned in February with making annoying telephone calls/electronic messages. As part of his plea deal, the charge was continued without a finding for a year. Should Kelley stay out of trouble and adhere to every order set by Judge Peter Doyle, the charge will be dropped.
Local police said Kelley last summer left three Israeli and antisemitic voicemail messages at the Washington Street synagogue last summer, but Matthews said Kelley left five messages between June and September, 2021.
"Leaving numerous, anonymous voicemails accusing all Jews of terrorism and murder is dangerous hate speech and needs to be condemned," Matthews wrote in an email sent to members of the synagogue in February. "This represents the continuation of a disturbing trend that has grown since the most recent conflict between Israelis and Palestinians this past spring, in which the line between political discourse about Israel and blatant antisemitic rhetoric is erased."
Of the three voice messages mentioned by local police, the first was recorded July 23 and declares that Palestine will be free and to stop killing Muslims and Christians. On Aug. 2, a second voice message calls Israel a "terrorist state" and "apartheid free Palestine."
Both phone calls were immediately reported to police and by Aug. 5, Newburyport police Officer Joshua Tierney had applied for a subpoena to examine phone subscriber information from a New Hampshire telephone number. The third message was recorded Sept. 9 and blames Israel for the killing of Iranian scientists.
"Shame on Israel. Israel terrorists, assassin," the message says, according to Tierney's report.
By Sept. 21, Tierney identified the subscriber as living in Exeter, New Hampshire, and having a secondary local contact. The records also showed Kelley to be the son of the subscriber. Tierney then visited Kelley's Facebook page and found a photo of Kelley and another person standing in front of a sign that read "Free Palestine."
A Facebook post dated Aug. 28 shows a photo of protesters holding up signs declaring former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal and demanding the end of U.S. aid to Israel.
In February, Matthews praised local police for their investigation of the voice messages and for protecting the synagogue, calling them "very responsive."
In the February email sent to members, the praise was repeated.
"We continue to be grateful for our strong partnerships with the Newburyport Police Department, CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies), and our local ADL office, all of whom have provided resources and support as we have navigated this unfamiliar and unsettling situation," Matthews wrote.
CJP provides a broad range of support services for Jewish institutions throughout the Greater Boston area, according to Matthews.
Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
