The Jewish Journal/COLlive
Security cameras at Chabad of Mt. Olympus show two individuals vandalizing a Hyundai Sonata belonging to Shluchim Rabbi Sholom and Rochela Rodal at 2 a.m. on the morning of June 24, according to Rodal as well as a police official.
The two were caught on camera setting the car on fire. It was parked outside of the Rodal home on a residential street in Laurel Canyon where the home, which also serves as a synagogue, is located. Rodal said prayer books and tefillin that were in the car were destroyed, but he said nothing was stolen from the vehicle.
“At about two in the morning we heard loud noises and explosions…[they] torched our car,” which was parked in the street, Laurelmont Drive, Rodal told the Journal on Wednesday. The rabbi’s family was at home at the time.
Lt. Alex Vargas of the Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Division said Wednesday that police were conducting an investigation into the incident, which did not cause any injuries. As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests had been made.
Rodal said he did not know whether the perpetrators intentionally targeted his car, or if they did so randomly. Security cameras recorded the incident but did not clearly identify the people responsible.
“It is very clear that it was a deliberated and targeted arson attack and potentially more serious, pending the investigation,” Rodal said.
The 41-year-old rabbi said his chief concern was providing reassurance to his synagogue community that everything would be OK.
“I’m just trying to let our community members know we’re working on making it safe,” Rodal said.
The incident will not intimidate them into hiding or fear or submission, Rodal said.
“Everything that happens is for a purpose and for the lesson to be drawn to inspire us for the future,” said Rodal. “What is the lesson here? As the Lubavitch Rebbe taught that when confronted by evil and violence, the most powerful way to combat it is to spread love, goodness and kindness. Where there is fire, mayhem and destruction, we turn them into fire of passion and unity,” he said.
Chabad of Mt. Olympus serves an array of Los Angeles Jewish community members, including people from the Russian community, the Persian community and others.
As some of the objects burned in the vehicle were Holy articles, including Tefillin Mezuzot and Siddurim and are not covered by the insurance, all those who would like to contribute towards the funding of new ones of them can donate online at www.chabadmtolympus.com
Leaving tefillin in a car “exposes the tefillin to extremes in both humidity and temperature which can easily damage them. A vehicle parked in direct sunlight quickly reaches extremely high temperature. The heat coming in through the windows is absorbed by the car’s interior and the glass acts as an insulator, keeping the heat inside. The temperature can reach up to 150 or even 200 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the temperature outside, the kind of vehicle, and how long it sits in the sun. If someone told you to put your tefillin in an oven for a few hours and… Read more »
Everyone should have Tefillin in their car.
How else can you always be able to put on Tefillin with any Jew where ever you are?
Yes sometimes they get lost or stolen and even destroyed but the resulting mitzvahs make it worth it.
Rabbi Berki is an inspiration to the rest of us CA Shluchim.
Noch a sreifa vert men Reich…
Amen!
Clt
B”H the family and house/shul is safe, but they still need your help!!
Donate, Donate, Donate!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is it such a loss after all?: Shmuel Munkis does it again, inspiring us with a great story, this time with an important moral message. So, we see from here that Reb Shmuel was not just a joker. Rabbi Shmuel Munkis moved to the city of Beshenkovitz, Russia. He was highly respected by the Chassidim because he had the rare privilege of being selected as a personal emissary of the Alter Rebbe. He would, often, inspire, teach, and advise many younger Chassidim. Reb Shmuel was giving a farbrengen (a gathering of Chassidim, where a Rebbe or well-learned Rabbi would inspire… Read more »
Thank Hashem that no one was hurt
The siddur in picture 7 is opened to אשר יצר. Thankfully no one was hurt and they have their health. B’H for that.
Because there’s always that chance that someone will fire bomb your car but houses don’t catch fire.
Hope they catch these scoundrels fast.
is this a random act of mischief? targeted act against Jews? or something more sinister..
Is that a rebbe dollar poking out of the somewhere in middle if picture 4?
It is tragic. But there is a lesson to be learn. Never ever leave your tefilin in a car, in a check-in bag or any other such scenario where it can get readily lost or stolen.
That’s CRAZY!!!!!!