Bloomfield Township trustee to address report of calling Zionists ‘scum’ in social media post

Bloomfield Township Trustee Stephanie Fakih allegedly posted on social media that Israeli and American Zionists are “scum” on Friday, Oct. 4.

The post appears to be attributed to an account from Fakih, a criminal defense attorney. It initially was posted on Instagram: “Israeli zionists are the scum of the earth and the only people on par are American zionists.” It included a 15-second video that said: “Israel heavily strikes Beirut Southern Suburbs on Thursday night.”

Fakih could not be reached by press time to confirm or deny the post, but she was expected to make a statement regarding the post at the next Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting, at 7 p.m. Oct. 14 in the auditorium at Township Hall, 4200 Telegraph Road. 

The comment was reposted by StopAntiSemitism on the X platform, which stated: “This vile hate must not be tolerated - Stephanie Fakih must step down.” 

Following the incident, Bloomfield Township Treasurer Michael Schostak, Township Supervisor Dani Walsh and Clerk Martin Brook issued the following joint statement: 

“We are deeply disturbed by Trustee Stephanie Fakih’s antisemitic social media post on Friday. Her views do not represent us, nor did she speak in an official capacity on behalf of Bloomfield Township. We are proud of our community’s diversity and we recognize that diversity as a source of strength.  While we recognize her right to free speech, as township trustees, it is our duty to represent and serve everyone equally and with respect. But, her divisive and dehumanizing rhetoric undermined those values and wounded many residents. Ms. Fakih’s term will end on November 20th and between now and that time we call upon Ms. Fakih to help heal those wounds,” the statement reads.

Fakih, who is completing her first four-year term as a Bloomfield Township Trustee in November, is not running for reelection.