Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson, arguably Cheltenham High School’s most well-known alumnus, took to X.com to express frustrations over antisemitism in our area.
“It is heartbreaking to see antisemitism in my hometown,” the Wyncote native wrote. “It makes me angry and ashamed to see hatred tolerated there.”
Jackson notes that the Anti-Defamation League recorded 51 antisemitic incidents in Montgomery County in 2024. He compares those incidents to “the racism I experienced in the 1960s”. In June 2024, he discussed those experiences during an appearance on the Fox Sports pregame show on Thursday, June 20, at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Jackson’s full X.com post is below:
It is heartbreaking to see antisemitism in my hometown. I was born in Wyncote, near Philadelphia, and it makes me angry and ashamed to see hatred tolerated there.
The numbers show this is not an abstract concern. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 465 antisemitic incidents across Pennsylvania in 2024, an 18% increase over 2023. It tracked 189 incidents in Philadelphia and 51 in Montgomery County. These reports include harassment, vandalism, and assault; they are not all classified as crimes. (https://t.co/LNbuEF4lCN, https://t.co/VD98Hg5XEp)
Hateful expression harms more than its immediate target. In a 2025 survey of Jewish Americans, 79% said they were concerned about antisemitism, and 52% said they had worried about their personal safety because of their identity. Nearly half reported taking steps to increase their security. A research review also found that exposure to hate is associated with worse psychological well-being, more negative stereotypes, and less trust between groups. (https://t.co/VD98Hg5XEp, https://t.co/YJT6NcR4VF)
It takes me back to the racism I experienced in the 1960s: signs throughout the South declaring that Black people could be refused service, along with separate “white” and “colored” signs on bathrooms and drinking fountains,”no niggers”. I remember what that hatred looked and felt like. We cannot accept it in any form, directed at any people.
I wish I could be there to stand with those protesting HATE. I am asking elected officials and other leaders in Philadelphia: Where are the clear statements condemning antisemitism? When hateful language is excused or repeated, it can make hostility seem acceptable and deepen fear and division. Leaders should speak plainly and consistently: antisemitism and hate have no place in our communities.
What the hell? We have to speak up.
Reggie Jackson
The Mr. October Guy— Reggie Jackson (@mroctober) November 7, 2026
The Major League Baseball Hall of Famer celebrated his 80th birthday on May 18. In October, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that he was one of Wikipedia’s most-searched celebrities from greater Glenside in 2025.
You can read our previous coverage of Mr. Jackson here.
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Photo: MLB.com