Rachel Bruhnke

Rachel Bruhnke is a high school teacher who spread antisemitism and hatred of Israel on social media during a war against Hamas terrorists, in late 2023.

Bruhnke published her remarks in the wake of Hamas terror atrocities and war crimes against Israeli civilians, including mass murder, torture, rape, beheadings and kidnappings, which were executed on October 7, 2023.

The Hamas terror attacks left over 1,200 Israelis dead, hundreds kidnapped and thousands wounded. Israel retaliated with a war called “Swords of Iron.”

Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., Canada, European Union, Israel and other countries. Founded in 1987, it has killed thousands of Israeli civilians through mass shootings and suicide bombings. Hamas has also kidnapped children, families and the elderly and held them hostage in Gaza. It has desecrated [slide 7] dead bodies and launched numerous rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.

In October 2023, Bruhnke was an activist with the anti-Israel group CODEPINK.

As of February 14, 2024, Bruhnke, who also goes by Rachel Alexandra Bruhnke, was listed on the Port of Los Angeles High School (POLAHS) website under “Faculty & Staff” as a teacher of Spanish, horticulture and environmental resource engineering.

Also as of February 14, 2024, Bruhnke was listed online as having graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) with a master’s degree in environmental resource engineering and international development technologies. Cal Poly Humboldt is located in Arcata, California.

As of the same date, Bruhnke was also listed online as having graduated from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) with a bachelor’s degree in political science. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California.

On December 21, 2023, Bruhnke posted on Facebook: “Israel. Proof that anyone can be a Nazi. .”

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) highlights as one possible contemporary example of anti-Semitism: “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” The U.S. State Department adopted the IHRA’s working definition of anti-Semitism in 2016. Over 40 countries have adopted the definition as well.

On October 17, 2023, Bruhnke posted on Facebook: “I feel like the Israelis…have been doing to Palestinians what they wish they could have done to the Germans. Totally misplaced rage and trauma for decades…and who’s getting off scott free? In fact, benefitting?... The militarists fascists! Fking Hitler is laughing from the grave. .”

On October 15, 2023, Bruhnke posted on Facebook: “‘Real Jews cannot be Zionists…’”

Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own national home, and the right to develop their national culture. Zionism is a core part of the identity of most Jews.

Antisemitism and Hatred of Israel during a Hamas War

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