Santa Monica synagogue vandalized as Hanukkah begins

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

When Rabbi Boruch Rabinowitz arrived at his Santa Monica synagogue on the first day of Hanukkah, he made an unpleasant discovery.

The front window was smeared with feces and rice, in close proximity to a menorah display.

The vandalism, which occurred Saturday night or Sunday morning, did not include any anti-Semitic messages. But officials at the Living Torah Center Chabad on Wilshire Boulevard suspect the building was targeted for religious reasons.

* * *

During a service about a month ago, Tenenbaum said, a man stood up and shouted “Heil, Hitler,” positioning his arms as if shooting a rifle. He ran away before anyone could catch him. About a year ago, a letter left in the synagogue’s mailbox contained a swastika and a message: “Get out of here, you Jews.” Also last year, someone scrawled graffiti on a Sukkot hut at the synagogue





Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-synagogue-vandalism-20161225-story.html

[inanna]

1. What psychopaths. n/t

[JI7]

2. they need to put cameras around . same goes for some other organizations

[Feeling the Bern]

3. Jews have always been easy targets for white Christians. And our blood has always been

cheap.

According to some here, it was just harmless fun when teenaged girls in Scottsdale gave their Jewish "friend" a swastika cupcake for her birthday.

I was the bad person who said those sociopathic assholes should be beaten.

We have always been quick to excuse anti-Semitism in western civilication history.

[dhol82]

4. True.

[pangaia]

5. Having been brought up a white Christian, (I am still white)

only later in life did I realize how lucky I was as a child. My close group of friends, my 'gang' if you will, included me the WASP, Robbie, the Jewish guy, Randy, the red-headed Catholic, Bill, the son of an Oklahoma Native American 'chief," Herbert, the Black guy, Ronnie, the Italian Catholic, and Guo, probably the only Chinese guy in town.

I am SURE this had a very strong influence on my world view.


As a rather humorous aside--
We also had a 'church' basketball league when I was in high school. There were many different Protestant teams, due to all the different 'branches.' But only one BIG Catholic church, and one HUGE Synagogue, even though there was a very large Jewish population in town..

The result was that none of us Protestants could beat the Catholic or Jewish guys. LOL !!!

[oberliner]

8. What makes you think this was the act of a white Christian?

There isn't anything about that in the article.

[Feeling the Bern]

10. Call it a hunch. A well supported by historical evidence on anti-Jewish hate crimes hunch

[yeoman6987]

11. Keep in mind the last church destruction was done by one of their own parishioners

That's been the latest which is weird. Although speculation about who does it goes towards the wrong hypothesis.

[Feeling the Bern]

12. Historically, we Jews don't descrate our own houses of worship.

And that's going back to pre-Roman times.

[Behind the Aegis]

14. "We have always been quick to excuse anti-Semitism in western civilication history."

So true! We can see those excuses in threads (and comment sections of stories) just like this one, more often than not. Sometimes, it is even egged on by members of our own tribe.

Definitely need the Chanukah lights to shine on some of the more obvious ones.

(Happy Chanukah!)

[vkkv]

19. "We have always been quick to excuse anti-Semitism in western civilication history."

Really? It seems to many people I know that anytime Israel is criticized for only political reasons or for invading their neighbor's land and water then supporters of Israel jump and down and scream "anti-Semitism!".

[Behind the Aegis]

21. Really?

Seems to many people any time anti-Semitism is the topic, they feel the need to "discuss" Israel or Israeli politicians. It is similar to those who feel the need to discuss "black on black crime" anytime racism by the police against African-American folks is the topic.

[vkkv]

22. Too funny! ..as expected I suppose.

[EllieBC]

23. It is what happens.

There's a thread about a fake Breitbart story that caused a Jewish family grief and the need to flee some town.

Someone brought up Israel. Which made no sense but I guess the poster is someone who will mention Israel when it comes to hateful acts against Jews NOT IN ISRAEL. I've never understood it. When Jewish students are attacked on campuses in the US, people bring up Israel. If you think that makes it ok, I guess that's your thing.

[Feeling the Bern]

26. I know. . .I called that poster on their nonsense just like I am calling this one on theirs as well

Bigotry and hatred directed at Jews is okay because. . .Israel.

Amazing logical leap. Well, not really if you use the old one in conjunction. Bigotry and hatred directed against Jews is okay because. . .they killed Jesus.

[vkkv]

30. I was talking about Bibi stealing land and water but when the people who elected

him are confronted on the land and water issue- they scream "anti-Semitism!".
I have no doubt that the crack-pot(s) who attacked the synagogue are hateful of anyone not like themselves and had nothing to do with Bibi's foreign policies. Nazis weren't big fans of white socialists, either.

Regarding your misunderstanding or confusion, I would LOVE to hear Jews in the U.S. denounce the policies of Bibi as much or more than I read about Muslims denouncing ISIS and Islamic terror - but I don't. So, why wouldn't the average American who isn't a crack-pot think of Israel-aligning American Jews in the same category as Israeli nationals or simply Israel as a nation? I really couldn't give a rat's --- about who worships who but the land grabs and original partitioning of the Middle East are and were just so very wrong.

[Behind the Aegis]

24. As is your response.

I see lots of people claiming people are complaining about anti-Semitism before any such comments are made and then there are stories about anti-Semitism, like this one, which posters, like yourself, insert Israel into the mix and make complaints about "false cries of anti-Semitism."

Lots of 'splaining going on, but somehow, because of the group, it is acceptable.

[Feeling the Bern]

25. Jews deserve all the hatred and bigotry directed their way because. . .Israel

Because all Jews support Israel. Because we are just this big monolith.

You've exposed yourself. Now, kindly take two steps back and re-evaluate your life choices that made you think this way.

[vkkv]

6. Probably due to a TRUMP supporter - Ironic, huh?

Since Bibi is felching Trump at every roll-over.

[oberliner]

9. What are you basing that on?

There is nothing in the article suggesting that.

[vkkv]

18. Part of the O.P. .. You DID read it the full O.P., yes?

""" During a service about a month ago, Tenenbaum said, a man stood up and shouted “Heil, Hitler,” positioning his arms as if shooting a rifle. He ran away before anyone could catch him. About a year ago, a letter left in the synagogue’s mailbox contained a swastika and a message: “Get out of here, you Jews.” Also last year, someone scrawled graffiti on a Sukkot hut at the synagogue """"

Better?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. How totally disgusting.

[brer cat]

13. I will never understand this hate.

I was 12 years old when Hebrew Benevolent Congregation Temple in Atlanta was bombed in 1958 but I still remember the shock and horror we felt. It was terrifying that someone would bomb a place of peace and community gathering. I fear that trump is inspiring more of his rabid racist/bigots to act out their irrational hatred against any group they perceive as "others."

[LeftishBrit]

15. How disgusting!

[47of74]

16. Ugh

People who commit these sort of hate crimes need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We've seen where this sort of hate leads when it's not challenged.

[RKP5637]

27. Exactly!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[NastyRiffraff]

17. Unfortunately, we're going to see more of this in the next 4 years

And yes, there is a HIGH probability that this asshole was a white Christian, and a Trump supporter. Trump himself has tacitly endorsed anti Semitism, as well as a bunch of other anti's.

Happy Hanukkah, to all those who celebrate it.

[RKP5637]

28. Trump's vision of the new USA! I think he loves this crap! Seriously! n/t

[47of74]

29. Hell anyone who doesn't practice reich wing Christianity is a target.

Not just members of the Jewish or Islamic faiths, but even other Christians who aren't the correct kind of Christian. Following Putin's Personal Fluffer being anointed leader by the Russians, the FBI, racists, and hatemongers there have been instances of hate crimes committed against Christians who actually try to follow what Christ said.

[NastyRiffraff]

31. Not to mention atheists

whom a lot of people think are un-American. Happily, President Obama just signed into law the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act which, among other things:

From the link:
“protects atheists, humanists, and other freethinkers around the world [including America] from religious persecution.” What that means for American Secular Humanists, agnostics, atheists and other nonreligious persons is that they are now explicitly named as “a class” protected by an “Act” that was quietly and unceremoniously signed into law last week. The new law was an update, and a much-needed upgrade, to the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act that states:

“The freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is understood to protect theistic and non-theistic beliefs as well as the right not to profess or practice any religion.”

[Paladin]

20. Welcome to Trump World, everybody!

This is exactly the sort of ugly action that Trump's "victory" encourages.