What's sparking Metro Detroit's rise in antisemitism?

A man is accused of vandalizing a synagogue in Oak Park, Michigan, leaving graffiti including a swastika and other hate speech that was discovered Wednesday. Police say the suspect is known to the area.

"He does have priors for larceny, destruction of property, trespass and disturbing the peace," Judge Jamie Horowitz said. 

The man charged in the incident, 51-year-old David Gorevitz, faced a judge on Friday. He's since been referred for treatment at the Oakland County Jail.

While the vandalism in Oak Park may have been sparked by mental health issues, Metro Detroit has seen multiple Jewish places of worship being vandalized.

"The war was simply the latest reason or excuse of pretense for doing this," Howard Lupovitch, Wayne State University professor, told CBS News Detroit on Friday.

Lupovitch specializes in modern Jewish history. He says all sorts of individuals have committed crimes against Jews and that, within the last decade, things have escalated.

"Step one, I think, is to reign in this ramped misinformation and disinformation on social media," Lupovitch explained. 

Experts said the current war in Iran is fueling antisemitism and that while America has played a role overseas, institutions here are often the ones targeted in response.

"Once you buy into the myth of Jewish power and Jews controlling everything, then you can blame everything on Jews. And that's why synagogues are attacked and not churches," Lupovitch said.

In Sterling Heights, Michigan, two out-of-state 19-year-olds allegedly spray-painted antisemitic slogans along a fence and wall. Both are facing multiple charges.

"Antisemitism as a problem is more a problem of non-Jewish society than Jewish society. The solution has to come beyond the Jewish community," Lupovitch said.

The Anti-Defamation League says its Center on Extremism is investigating to see if the two 19-year-olds arrested have ties to any extremist groups.