(JTA) — A Los Angeles synagogue was targeted with a spray-painted swastika and gang symbols.
Temple Aliyah in the Woodland Hills neighborhood was vandalized Monday. The Los Angeles Police Department told the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles that it considers the attack a hate crime.
The police have no suspects; footage from the synagogue’s security camera did not show the vandalism.
The graffiti, with the swastika drawn backwards, was painted at the entrance to the Conservative synagogue. Male genitalia was drawn on the sign bearing the synagogue’s name.
“Even though it is a minor vandalism, it is considered a hate crime by us,” Det. Nick Abbinanti told the Jewish Journal. “It is motivated by, in our opinion, hate, based on the type of graffiti that is there, that is present — the swastikas in general, if that makes sense.”
A synagogue neighboring Temple Aliyah was not damaged.
“As always, we are concerned when any synagogue is vandalized,” the Anti-Defamation League’s Pacific Southwest Region said in a statement. “Although it appears that the swastika was drawn incorrectly, and that there was some other graffiti included with the swastika, we consider this an anti-Semitic incident since the target was a synagogue.
The synagogue sent a statement to congregants.
“Temple Aliyah is our sacred home and this act of vandalism, even if just a teenage prank, is a violation and desecration,” it said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
