Los Angeles, CA – Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel was vandalized on November 26.
Stop Antisemitism tweeted on December 6 that “security footage captured a man throwing a large rock through an entrance window, shattering it. The man then continued to bang on the glass, shockingly recording himself the entire time.”
The synagogue’s president, Raymond Yashouafar, issued a statement saying that the synagogue has reported the matter to the police as well as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Federation.
“This is a reminder that antisemitism is real and is literally happening at our footsteps,” Yashoufar said. “It is deeply disturbing that we are still experiencing such hate crimes in 2022. We will not stand silent, and we will not allow anyone or anything to bring us down. Our temple has stood strong for the past 102 years, and we assure you that we will continue to thrive for many years to come.”
“We are aware of and horrified by the vandalism perpetrated at the Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel on November 26,” ADL Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey I. Abrams said in a statement to the Journal. “ADL Los Angeles has been in contact with the synagogue and provided our safety and security resources. Additionally, we have been in direct contact with the Los Angeles Police Department, and we appreciate that they are looking into the possibility of this being a hate crime. As always, we stand against antisemitism and any criminal acts directed at synagogues, be they Ashkenazi, Sephardic or any other houses of worship.”
American Jewish Committee Los Angeles Regional Director Richard S. Hirschhaut similarly said in a statement to the Journal, “Any act of antisemitic vandalism is one incident too many. The reported vandalism of Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel, in broad daylight on the Shabbat of Thanksgiving weekend, was a brazen act of hate. With antisemitic rhetoric flooding social media at unprecedented levels, it is difficult not to wonder whether this crime was fueled by such unrelenting streams of hate. That the alleged perpetrator recorded himself in the act suggests as much; hopefully, it will speed his arrest and prosecution.”
