Georgia
Neo-Nazi sentenced for hate crime, antisemitic mail to rabbi, lawmaker
North Carolina man convicted of sending threatening communications to a Macon rabbi, Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch.
Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch (left) and Macon Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar speak outside a federal courtroom Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, after a man was sentenced to five years for mailing them threatening communications in the form of antisemitic postcards. (Joe Kovac Jr./AJC)
Editor’s note: This story contains disturbing language.
MACON — The rabbi knitted. While a sentencing hearing for the man convicted of mailing her threatening communications in the form of an antisemitic postcard two years ago played out in a federal courtroom Wednesday, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar sat with sage-green yarn in her lap.
tsuj“ — dluow ruoh-owt ot semit eerht siht rieht ehs ehs ehs ,yas ,gnideecorp no on suovren xobliam regnol retal si si ni reh reh ,sdnah tibah rof rof gninoihsaf gnirud gnibrutsid ,yad ,nerdlihc nerdlihc kcehc ”.esac deisub .teknalb ,teknalb errazib ta dna na swolla a a ehT gnittinK .rahaB dnA
lariv owt eht selbat laicos detaes fo .aidem ,elihwnaem gnitekram ,nam ni sih evitceffe dednefed detcivnoc ,yawa sa ega snoitca ehT
SWEJ“ ohw taht deviecer ,daer dractsop sdael ni ni emoh reh nettirwdnah nwotnwod a elpmeT ”.STAR ,nocaM learsI yraurbeF hteB ,rahaB tA ERA ,4202
sI“ ’SWEJEHTSAG‘ ruoy rednu lennut ,erutrot ereht eht edis ,epar rehto ”!ffo redrum ?esuoh evah rof dlihc ,deksa dna a nolkyZ eW esU ehT edoC .B %01
sraey saw ekaw owt ot emit eht eht eht eht eht eht taht deifitset elpmet troppus .remmus etats dengis ehs tnes nees emas suoiverp dractsop edistuo eno fo fo fo fo izaN-oen rebmem enol noitalsigel .wal tsuj otni ni ni lacitnedi emoh reh dah dah gnirehtag gninifed ,derohtua-oc llib ,msitimesitna na ,oga a a sgnirpS ydnaS .peR .hctinaP ,hctinaP hctinaP ,erutalsigeL hsiweJ s’aigroeG rehtsE rahaB dnuorA
.nemow ohw owt neht eht eht eht detegrat ecnis nees dias enilno fo swen nam deliam ,ti ni evah dah stnempoleved dna dna stnuocca ,somaR srotucesorP htroN aigroeG .E ozalloC aniloraC leirA
,seldnac“ toirtaP“ etihw tahw ”.semeht eht nar ,laicar stcudorp sdractsop gnilddep rehto fo tsilanoitan deman ni emoh sih evah morf debircsed gnitciped ytic ssenisub seitirohtua sa citimesitna dna dna a ,somaR ,tnioP hgiH ”ynapmoC eldnaC ,23
mohw saw lairt ot gninetaerht taht reffits depeets gnicnetnes fo izaN-oen gniliam dedulcni ni ni etah ytliug .senilediug dnuof rof ,msimertxe tnemecnahne debircsed emirc noitcivnoc snoitacinummoc seitirohtua ta sa dewolla a a ’somaR ,somaR rebmevoN .rahaB
.sraey saw ot emit emit eht dneps ecnis devres nees deniamer .nosirp ,enon ybraen hcum thgim ,elihwnaem :mumixam reywal liaj ni ni ni woh sih rof rof rof evif s’ytnuoc eb deksa tserra deugra a tahW yadsendeW somaR ,srotucesorP yaM siH .4202
— — hcihw meht eht naht .elpmet emos os staes elpoep skoolrevo rehto ro fo elim ynam ssel ni flah morf morf dellif snoitanimoned ,moortruoc stnagergnoc dna a s’llewdaerT .T teertS ytneveS yrrebluM craM egduJ s’rahaB s’rahaB
Hundreds of people gather at Temple Beth Israel for a counter-protest in June 2023 after an antisemitic hate group gathered outside. Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar leads the temple in downtown Macon. (Courtesy of Jason Vorhees)
mohw ohw erew eht eht ,elbat .edis edis tas sevitaler s’noitucesorp fo dellik ni dah yb htob dna ,hctinaP raeN ,tsuacoloH rahaB
dluow nemow ,lairt koot yeht eht deifitset .stnemetats no ekam reywal dah .roolf ,tsrif gnirud dna yadsendeW ehT ’somaR ’somaR rebmevoN tuB
,t’nsaw“ ylluflliw ohw saw driht eht eht eht ,dias dias sdractsop .yolp fo ,dnim gnitekram deliam ,ycneinel reywal ”.wal ni ni sih dah rof ,esac gnikaerb sa gniugra a ,rehtaR ’somaR somaR somaR nanweN .rJ nI worbeD worbeD yrraB yenrottA
a“ ”lliW“ erew esoht ekops dias fo txen ”.drawoc dna snoitca mailliW .S.U ’somaR .R seyeK yenrottA
staerht“ t’now ”.detarelot ot eht taht dnes egassem egduj ni dertah eb desab deksa a seyeK
… eH“ .krow hcihw ot denetaerht siht ”.sgniht eseht eseht neht eht .taht ,hceeps ecnetnes yas detcejer nosaer detcetorp elpoep .seitironim sredael yruj s’ti si edih s’eh eh eh setah retaerg rof nrae t’ndid did ylraelc dniheb esuaceb esuaceb detpmetta dna dna dna a a uoY ehT ehT diaS .izaN :seyeK hsiweJ hsiweJ s’tI tsriF tnemdnemA
”derettahs“ saW“ saW“ .derednow rehtehw gnihctaw yltneloiv ,edart dlot eht ”?teerts ehs esnes ytiruces gniviecer dractsop .tuo fo fo ym thgim tfel retal hsal woh ”?emoh reh reh eh eh lufraef esnefed yb yenrotta dna ssorca a ’somaR somaR ,hctinaP
a“ ti dellac detaluclac ”.tca ehS
… sihT“ t’nsaw detnaw ot eht eht ezirorret ,hceeps ”,ecnelis .dias flesym yruj otni eerf .dnuof eritne ytinummoc sa dna dna ibbaR hctinaP hsiweJ eH rahaB
si“ morF“ saw ”.noitaloiv gninetaerht gninetaerht taerht taht ehs ,dias dias ,ibbar ylno fo ton ”,rettam ,level dnik ,reh reh reh rof tnereffid peed noitagergnoc ygrelc .ytic tub dekcatta ta yna dna osla demia a a a ’somaR rahaB
tahw denraw dlot ot ot yeht meht eht taht .suoicipsus deppots gnihtemos laicos ecnis ehs ehs ees dias gnitsop serutcip no fo .aidem fi flesreh reh sah sah tnorf segaruocne .rood god od nerdlihc thguob krab ta dna a ehS ehS ehS
,etarebiled“ yatS‘ uoy lliw saw saw saw saw saw ot ot eht .ezirorret detegrat dnes dias .modnar ,teiuq dractsop ro ton ,egassem tnaem tnaem ti ti elbisivni ecaf ”’.secneuqesnoc eb citimesitna dna a ’somaR tI tI rahaB
eht eht delbmar spahrep eno no fo tsom .setunim edisni ni rof reve yllanoitome dehcated dereviled ,suollac dna snoitucolla mailliW .S.U somaR ,txeN laredeF ,esuohtruoC gnidliuB eltooB sutsuguA 51
… did“ nemow tahw erew erew saw owt ot siht yeht rieht eht eht eht tnes dias tpiecer ,sdractsop no fo fo ”.swen lairetam gnitekram gnitekram dednetni sih yltcaxe .od esuaceb dna dna esehT gnikaepS somaR hctinaP rahaB
stcudorp“ tahw tahw saw pu gnidnert ot ot ot eht taht hcraes dennacs dias elddep ”.reffo ym gnikool tenretni ni eh eh sah murd debircsed ,ssenisub ssenisub seuneva ta sa somaR
… ssip“ dluow dluow ot meht meht eht eht taht enoemos tluser eviecer sdractsop ffo egassem evah derugif ”.esle etacinummoc dna dna dna hctinaP eH rahaB
snoillim“ ”evitaerc“ I“ htiw lariv neht eht eht eht noitats etats laicos elgnis dias ,sseworp sdractsop smroftalp egnaro no fo fo fo fo swen aidem gnitekram edam tiuspmuj ni ni ”.snoisserpmi woh sih sih mih ereh evah dah enog morf yreve desserd nwod tsoc ssenisub detsaob dna na lla ,somaR ,liaJ eH ”.aigroeG ytnuoC sttuB 1$
sihT“ tnaw ot hguoht yeht .meht ,meht ,dias ekam ti t’nsi si neve ”.ssenisub tuoba tuoba sihT eH
nwolb“ a“ ohw tahw saw s’taht kees dias noitroporp elpoep tuo ”.no fo etamitigel tsuj sih tog rof tnuocsid gnitnuoc ”edoc seldnac yb .noitnetta somaR I dnA
I“ uoy ,nettirw maerts ”.hceeps yas daer tup laitnetop ro fo snoitavresbo rettel ,ti d’eh eh eh sseug secnaveirg morf moortruoc dluoc sa etalleppa dna duola a a a nehT
gnorts“ I“ t’ndluow eciov ot eht eht eht ,dias ”.thgir desraeher ,rotucesorp ”noitcejorp desiarp gnitniop no fo rorrim tsuj ni sruoh sih sih eh teg tnorf rof rof regnif teef tbuod tnedifnoc ecnuob dna dna dna a ,seyeK eH
koobtxet“ ”gnirettuts“ yletelpmoc“ dluow erew retaw ”,ssenderaperpnu ot ”.tsriht taht enoemos namselas dias nwo fo fo fo reywal elbapacni fi sih sih eh ssalg gnivig rof gniyd delttileb eb yawa yenrotta dna dna a a eH
ylluferac“ uoy dluow htiw daerpsediw tahw lairt ot emit thguoht eht dewohs ,gnicnetnes demehcs ”.ksir .ksir laminim laminim denoitnem mumixam ti tcilfni woh ,mrah ,mrah rof ecnedive emac eb ta dna desserdda nehW llewdaerT somaR somaR rO egduJ
s’taht“ a“ ”.uoy ”dlrow eht retsinis emahs dias tcudorp fo izaN-oen sdnim ni rof live dessessa sa dna dna a llewdaerT somaR
ot eht eht .mret decnetnes nosirp mumixam egduj raey-evif nehT somaR
llot ot .meht eht eht eht nekat ekops sretroper no sah ,moortruoc esac dna tuoba hctinaP edistuO rahaB
on“ koot dewohs ytilibisnopser dekramer no fo on level woh ”.yhtapme dna osla somaR hctinaP
gnihtemos“ s’erehT“ gnorw htiw siht ,dias ”,yllaer ”.yug hctinaP
Joe Kovac Jr. is Macon bureau chief covering Middle Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Gulfstream recently announced a $5 million investment in Georgia education, welcoming students and leaders to its Savannah headquarters.
ATHENS, Ga. – Designated hitter Daniel Jackson and centerfielder Rylan Lujo combined for nine RBI Sunday, leading fifth-ranked Georgia to a 12-1 win over LSU at Foley Field.
Georgia improved to 41-11 overall, 21-6 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 29-24 overall and 9-18 in conference play.
The Tigers return to action at 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday when they play host to Florida in Game 1 of a three-game SEC series in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. Thursday’s game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.
“Georgia won the moments in this series,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “They’re going to score, so you’ve got to capitalize against them when you have scoring opportunities on offense.”
Georgia starting pitcher Caden Aoki (8-0) was the winner, limiting LSU to one run on four hits in 5.0 innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
LSU right-hander Casan Evans (2-3), making his first appearance since April 17 versus Texas A&M, started the game Sunday and was charged with the loss, working 1.2 innings and allowing four runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
“I thought Casan’s stuff looked great, and that’s good for him from a health standpoint,” Johnson said. “He’s a guy that the more he pitches, the better he is, so there might have been a little bit of rust, but I thought he competed fine.”
Georgia struck for four runs in the bottom of the second inning in an outburst highlighted by Jackson’s two-out, two-run single and an RBI single by second baseman Ryan Black.
The Tigers narrowed the gap to 4-1 in the third when designated hitter Omar Serna Jr. delivered an RBI single.
Georgia extended its lead to 7-1 in the fourth as Jackson launched a two-run homer and centerfielder Lujo lined a run-scoring single.
Lujo unloaded a grand slam in the fifth, giving the Bulldogs an 11-1 advantage.
The Georgia baseball team had long since poured out of the Foley Field home dugout and the water bottles that were thrown on the field in jubilation had been cleaned up.
The Bulldogs celebration that carried into center field after a 13-8 victory on Saturday night over LSU on May 9 had ended and players had doused coach Wes Johnson with blue sports drink.
Now, some 20 minutes later, it was postgame photo time for the freshly minted 2026 SEC regular season champions.
They gathered in front of the spot on the right field wall where the previous seven seasons of Georgia SEC championships were listed, the last in 2008. Above them on the video board was a graphic that recognized this year’s team as SEC champions.
“Watching the program grow in such a shot amount of time, it’s awesome,” said pitcher Paul Farley, who has been with the Bulldogs for all three seasons with Johnson and got the win in relief Saturday. “We’ve got four SEC games left and to be able to hang that up there the SEC champs already it’s amazing.”
Farley was speaking figuratively because the 2026 numbers weren’t on the outfield fence just yet.
Fifth-ranked Georgia (40-11, 20-6 SEC) still has a chance to put a College World Series trip up there in left field for the first time since 2008 and in a best case scenario add another national championship year in right field with the 1990 season.
“SEC champs is great, but obviously we want to do bigger and better things,” Farley said.
LSU, the team that won it all last season, was still around having a postgame talk on the artificial turf field long after the game ended.
Johnson was with LSU in 2023 as pitching coach when it won another College World Series.
“It’s massive,” Johnson said of this latest championship. “Anytime you can win this league, man, it’s so hard. Then win it outright. It’s something you want to check off on your list of things you’ve ever accomplished. It’s 10 weekends of just meat house grinding.”
Johnson said he didn’t know that the dominoes had fallen Saturday to set up Georgia being able to clinch except that he saw that Texas lost at Tennessee as the result flashed on the scoreboard.
Texas A&M also lost twice at Ole Miss to set up the clinch for Georgia.
“I’m calling pitches, I’m locked in,” Johnson said.
He said assistant coach Will Coggin told him when the game ended that ‘We’re champs.’”
Many of the players knew.
“We had a few inside operatives, I’d say, tell us,” Farley said.
Shortstop Kolby Branch said he didn’t know “until the water bottles started flying.”
Branch said another Georgia team loaded with transfers grew closer in the fall and built relationships that have turned into wins this season.
Johnson said winning the regular season title in his third season as coach in the age of the transfer portal and NIL “means a lot.”
Johnson mentioned Farley, Branch and Tre Phelps being at Georgia for all three of his seasons.
“Seeing where we were in the first fall, we forget this used to be dirt and grass,” Johnson said standing on on turf field. “And we didn’t have the cool building and we only had one batting cage, all the stuff we’ve been able to do since we’ve been here. The other side is just understanding true belief and understanding what guys can do.”
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