Published: 12 August 2022
Last updated: 5 March 2024
Reform synagogue desecrated; window broken in break-in attempt at Conservative synagogue.
Leaders of Natan Ya, the Reform congregation of Netanya, filed a complaint with police on Tuesday after discovering that their synagogue had been vandalised, with prayer shawls, yarmulkes and prayer books thrown on the floor and a window torn out of the bathroom.
Several days earlier, an attempted break-in was also reported at the Conservative congregation in this coastal city. After failing to break through the door of the Bet Israel synagogue, the perpetrator broke one of the windows of the building.
It is not clear if the two crimes are related. “It raises concerns, however, that this might be part of a trend,” said Yair Lootsteen, chairman of the Reform movement in Israel. “With all the incitement against the progressive movements in Israel, I have to say that I’m not surprised when things like this happen.”
Lior Ben-Tsur, a member of the board of Natan Ya, one of the oldest Reform congregations in Israel, said the attack is the second time his 50-year-old Reform congregation has been vandalised. In the previous incident three years ago, there was clear evidence that the crime was motivated by hate, though the perpetrator was never found.
“It’s still too early to say whether this might also be a hate crime, but considering that aside from the Torah scrolls, we have very little of value in here, it doesn’t make sense that this was just an ordinary break-in,” he said.
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Reform Synagogue in Israeli City Vandalized Days After Attempted Break-in at Conservative Congregation (Haaretz)
