A menorah that has been standing at the front the Chabad Israeli Center of West Boca Raton, FL for the past 3 years was vandalized Saturday night.
Congregants who arrived on Tisha B’Av morning at the Chabad Center which is directed by Shliach Rabbi Naftaly Hertzel were dismayed to find the Menorah with three of its arms torn down.
A hate crime and vandalism report was made to police and they arrived to take finger prints as well as testimony of an event that occurred last Pesach where someone drove by the storefront center shouting “Heil Hitler” while gesturing with his hand.
Shul Gabbai Joseph Gershon said he was greatly saddened “twofold” by the sight of the vandalism. “Seeing the dismembered Menorah, especially on Tisha B’Av, really brought home the feeling of exile,” he said.
Gershon said they removed the Menorah and stored the pieces away for now. “My heart was heavy seeing a symbol of light being stored away in the dark. Still, from the Rebbe’s guidance, my initial thought is to combat the incident, we should increase in light,” he said.
Due to this incident and other past Anti-Semitic acts, the congregation is contemplating installing cameras as well as an on duty security guard. No suspects have been named in the recent vandalism attack.
why weren’t there cameras to begin with???
this seems like kids playing on it and it broke. If this was done maliciously i would think it might have turned out worse.
Install cameras find perp
You’re thinking of installing cameras who doesn’t have cameras today