LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Kentucky man is facing a terroristic threatening charge after police say he made hateful comments towards the Jewish community in Lexington.

The University of Kentucky shared a statement saying the school “Stands against antisemitism and senseless acts of hate, discrimination and intimidation.” 

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin has served as the director of the ministry at the University of Kentucky Jewish Student Center for eight years. Recently, he and the center have had concerns about safety and security.

“As a prominent member of the Jewish community, getting random messages is not that rare, but on Thursday we got a message that talked about mapping out the Jewish student center,” Litvin explained.  

Over several days, the center received a series of harmful messages and threats. Lexington police say the threats were focused on the Jewish faith. 

The department alleges 58-year-old Sendil Nathan used antisemitic language, which Litvin says included references to historic genocide.

Litvin says these threats aren’t tolerated, and that education can help overcome the hatred. “The only way to combat this is with education, and the younger you start, the better. This is the week that students are coming back for many Jewish students at the University of Kentucky, this was their first taste of the university and with their Jewish home away from home — with their community being threatened,” he said.

Nathan was arrested over the weekend and charged with second-degree terroristic threatening.

Litvin says Lexington police and Police Chief Lawrence Weathers acted fast and thanked them for their attention to the matter.

“We are extremely grateful that Chief Weathers has built a culture at Lexington police department that responded so quickly,” Litvin said. “All took this seriously and addressed it.” 

On Wednesday, UK also spoke about the incident, saying, “We have been reaching out to student leaders in our Jewish community to express our unwavering support for them.”