PITTSBURGH, PA – A Pittsburgh woman was sentenced to five years of probation today for her role in a disturbing act of vandalism targeting the Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. Talya A. Lubit, 25, admitted to conspiring to deface the religious institutions with hateful graffiti, a crime Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti called a direct attempt to instill fear within the Jewish community.
According to court documents, Lubit and her codefendant, Mohamad Hamad, carried out the vandalism in the early morning hours of July 29, 2024. They spray-painted “Jews 4 Palestine” alongside an inverted red triangle onto the exterior of the Chabad building, a central hub for Jewish educational programming and religious services in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. The inverted triangle is a deeply unsettling symbol – it was prominently used by Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, to mark Israeli targets during recent conflicts in Gaza.
The motivation behind the attack, prosecutors argued, stemmed from a growing animosity towards Israel shared by Lubit and Hamad following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack and the subsequent war between Israel and Hamas. This isn’t simply political expression; it’s the deliberate adoption of a terrorist group’s targeting symbol, applied to a place of worship, and that crosses a clear legal line. Lubit’s actions, Rivetti emphasized, are not protected speech.
The damage wasn’t limited to the Chabad. Lubit and Hamad also vandalized an entry sign to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh with the same hateful markings. Lubit has agreed to pay $10,534 in restitution to cover the costs of repairing the damage to both properties. Meanwhile, charges against Hamad, which include making false statements and possession of destructive devices, remain pending, suggesting a potentially broader and more dangerous plot.
Victim impact statements read during the sentencing hearing painted a chilling picture of the emotional toll the vandalism took on the community. The Chabad of Squirrel Hill described the spray-painting as “not only physical but deeply symbolic,” a “painful reminder that we remain a target.” The Jewish Federation stated the vandalism revived “deep feelings of fear, violation and vulnerability,” noting the premeditated nature of the attack indicated the targets were not just buildings, but the people within them.
“This case sends a clear message: we will not tolerate acts of hate and intimidation directed at any religious community,” Rivetti stated. “Our office, along with the FBI and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, will continue to vigorously prosecute those who attempt to threaten the safety and security of our citizens.” Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted the case. The investigation highlights the growing need for vigilance against extremism and the protection of vulnerable communities.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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