Rabbi Michael Kaplan of Congregation Ahavath Achim-Sephardic, 3225 S.W. Barbur Blvd., said someone spray-painted a Nazi swastika on the building’s exterior, along with a misspelled reference to President Obama (“Oboma is 666”) along with the number “5” and “USA.”

Kaplan said the graffiti was spotted at about 7 a.m. Wednesday. One coat of paint was applied to cover the graffiti.

“Our synagogue is the most prominently placed of any in Portland,” Kaplan said. That makes it an easy target, he said.

Kaplan said a Portland police officer came out to see the graffiti and file a report. “They told us they would get back to us,” Kaplan said.

Sgt. Pete Simpson, a spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau, said the department does not have any suspect information or any reports of similar incidents.

The following is a Message from Congregation Ahavath Achim:

I received an early morning phone call today telling me there was anti-Semitic graffiti sprayed on the side of Ahavath Achim. Although I knew what to expect, I was horrified when I pulled into the parking lot and saw it for myself. There was a swastika along with something about Obama, USA, and the numbers 666. At this point, no one is certain whether this was the work of white supremacists or a group of kids. The only thing we know for sure is that it was a message of hate.

The swastika was originally regarded as a symbol of beauty and used in artwork and mosaics dating back thousands of years. It is still used by some religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. To the rest of the world, though, it has become the symbol of hatred that flew on the Nazi flag. It was under this symbol that my grandmother’s family suffered in Poland. It was this same symbol that led my grandfather to join the United States Armed Forces to fight against it. Seventy years later, its message continues to haunt us as a reminder that we have not won the war on hate (yet).

When I pulled up to the synagogue, Rabbi Gadi Levy (of the Portland Kollel) was standing there waiting for me. He helped me cover the graffiti until the police arrived to take a report. While we were covering it up with a sheet, a man arrived with two canisters of white spray paint to erase the message. Apparently, he had passed by earlier and saw what had happened, then went to the nearest hardware store and picked them up for us to use. People kept on stopping by while we were painting it over to let us know that whoever did this does not represent the majority of people in Portland. I have continued to get emails and messages via social media with similar messages.

Today is the first day of the Jewish month referred to as Cheshvan, however its official name Mar-Cheshvan, meaning bitter. It is the only month on the Jewish calendar that does not have a festival or holiday. It is during this month that the days noticeably grow shorter, bringing in the darkness of night even earlier. It is not a sad month, per se, just not a cause for celebration.

The first of every month, Rosh Chodesh, is treated as a quasi-holiday. Although there are no observances that are practiced, there are certain changes to the prayers to note the new month. One of those changes is the recitation of the Hallel prayer which is a series of psalms (113-118) praising God for all we have. As I was reciting this prayer this morning I stopped at verse This is the day that the Lord made; me shall exult and rejoice on it. Was this really “the day” for rejoicing? It did not seem like an appropriate day for celebration.

I then thought about all the people I met since arriving at the synagogue, those who came to help and the others who came to commiserate. They were busily on their way to work but had to stop to say something. It pained them to see someone else’s hatred scribbled on the wall of our sanctuary. It was these people who made this day a cause for celebration. Those who were able to use their love to drive out this message of hate – and I am so thankful for them.

These are dark times. There have been nonstop attacks on Jews in Israel for close to a week now. The attacks have continued across the ocean to New York where two Israelis were attacked over the weekend and there was an attempted stabbing in Brooklyn yesterday outside of the Chabad headquarters. As Jews, being the victim is nothing new to us. It is a hat that we sometimes wear, sometimes take off, but never store away for too long. Today’s incident was merely a small reminder of the fortune we share with our brothers and sisters around the globe. If nothing else, we must stand with them against the hatred they face on a daily basis. We may not be able to offer physical protection, but should not underestimate what a show of support can accomplish.

With hopes for a brighter tomorrow,

Rabbi Michael Kaplan

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)