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.
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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
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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
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— — 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
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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
… 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
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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
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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
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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
The Georgia Bulldogs have added a former player to their defensive staff ahead of the 2026 college football season.
The 2026 offseason is in full swing as teams across the country iron out their rosters and ensure take they have a full coaching staff in place before the regular season begins. One team that has been diligently at work in assembling its coaching staff is the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Bulldog have had a plethora of additions and departures thus far, and have made another addition to their defensive staff. According to report, the Dawgs have added Maurce Smith as a defensive analyst ahead of the 2026 season.
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Smith’s name may ring a bell to Georgia has, as he was once a player for Kirby Smart. The defensive back began his career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, but transferred to Georgia ahead of the 2016 season, following Smart’s hire by the University of Georgia.
Maurice Smith’s Playing Career With the Georgia Bulldogs
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Nov 26, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Clinton Lynch (22) runs past Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Maurice Smith (2) for a touchdown during the first quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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Smith was an extremely consistent player in the Bulldog backfield during the 2016 season and delivered an iconic pick-six in Georgia’s win over the top-10 ranked Auburn Tigers. Smith’s touchdown would help Smart secure his first-ever top ten win.
Since was an unofficial member of the Bulldogs’ staff during the 2025 season, but has now emerged into a fulltime member this offseason. His familiarity with Smart’s system and the Georgia Bulldogs could be a massive addition for the defense.
Kirby Smart has not shied away from leaning on former Bulldog players to assist with the current roster, and has hired multiple former players to coaching roles. Players such as Jarvis Jones, Warren Ericson, Mike Bobo, and others have immensely contributed to the Bulldogs’ success over the years.
It should also be noted that oftentimes, analysts on Georgia’s staff oftentimes land major coaching jobs within a short time. The most famous example of this is Florida Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
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While Smith’s addition may or may not result in his career advancement, his presence in Athens will almost certainly have a positive impact on the Bulldogs’ defense this upcoming season and the Dawgs will very likely have one of the country’s best defenses.
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Georgia will begin its 2026 college football season on Saturday, September 5th when they host Tennessee State for their season opener. A kickoff time and TV network for this matchup will be announced at a later date.
No. 6 Georgia defeated No. 10 Stanford (196.400), No. 20 Cal (196.8750) and Air Force (195.750) with a team score of 197.650 on Saturday at the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. This marks Georgia’s highest score on the road from Athens this season.
To close out the meet, the Bulldogs accomplished a season high on bars, with a score of 49.475. Leading the event for Georgia, seniorCsenge Bácskay and junior Lily Smith tied for first in the event, both scoring a 9.950. This win was not only her first for the season, but it also marked a new career high for Bácskay.
On the vault, sophomoreNyla Aquino and junior Ady Wahl split a four-way tie for the event title. Both Bulldogs achieved new season highs on the event with scores of 9.925.
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Smith, Georgia’s leader on the floor, scored a 9.975 for the event. This secured her seventh-floor title this season. Freshman Kelise Woolford improved to a new season best on the beam with a score of 9.950, winning the event title.
The Bulldogs will return to Stegeman Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 20, for a top-10 matchup, hosting No. 5-ranked Florida.
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – The No. 1 ranked Georgia equestrian team fell to fifth-ranked South Carolina, 16-3, at One Wood Farm in Blythewood, S.C.
Fast Facts
South Carolina defeated the Bulldogs 4-1 in the Horsemanship competition. Senior Alyvia Dixon earned the lone point for Georgia, riding to a new season high score of 76.75 and tallying her seventh win of the season.
The Gamecocks overtook the Bulldogs in Fences 4-1. Sophomore Ella Witt captured her point over South Carolina’s Amirah Kettaneh, 82-81.5. Tessa Downey added a score of 82.5, despite not earning the point.
Georgia secured one of the four points in Flat against South Carolina. Ella Duffy rode to a score of 80, overtaking Mary Hunter Millet’s score of 69. Kingsley Dey led the Flat scores with an 81.
South Carolina took the win in Reining 4-0. Kennedy Buchanan earned a score of 70 for her performance, pushing her point against Alexis Potts. Shelby Lynch rode to a 71, leading the Bulldogs’ scoring in the discipline.
