(JTA) — Graffiti scrawled in a bathroom in a Yale University science building threatened an arson attack on the campus Slifka Center for Jewish Life.
The graffiti was discovered late last month but was first reported in the local media on Tuesday. The exact wording of the graffiti has not been released, but it reportedly threatened an attack for May 16, the second day of the major Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
Police in New Haven, Conn., and the FBI are investigating, the New Haven Register reported.
“This is a very disturbing incident for a community such as ours, in which tolerance of all races, religions and points of view is a fundamental value,” Yale Vice President Linda Koch Lorimer said in a statement. “A threat to any community within our university is a threat to us all.”
Slifka Center programs have continued on schedule, and upcoming events including Shavuot programs have not been altered.
“Difficult times can serve to remind us of our many blessings,” a statement issued by the center said. “Slifka Center is fortunate to be a vibrant hub of Jewish and interfaith life within a welcoming community, in which incidents such as this one are very rare.”
A Slifka Center board member said the news of the graffiti was not released to the public sooner in order to allow the police to do some investigation quietly.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
