Police are investigating after a swastika was found yesterday painted on the inside of a Manhattan synagogue.
A swastika and a derogatory word were painted on an inside door of the Bialystoker Shul on East Broadway. A smoke bomb was set off, as well.
State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has attended the synagogue since he was a child and said he was furious to discover what had happened.
“This is a crime, not against the synagogue; this is a crime against society,” said the assemblyman. “When people choose to desecrate a house of worship, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a church, a synagogue. It is just a despicable act that really should tug at the heartstrings of all of us.”
Silver said surveillance cameras nearby may have caught the perpetrators.
(Source: NY1)
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10 Responses
This is craziness we must put an end to this. But, thanks for the article, but I believe it’s on Bialystoker Place. On East Broadway is the Bialystoker Home. Which is a nursing home.
Am I reading correctly? Shelly, you are suddenly so outraged! Promoting and sponsoring the Gay Marriage bill is %100 fine with you?! That’s not a crime against society?! Which act will cause more damage, now AND for the future?! I am not condoning what happened C”V, but let’s get our priorities straight!
Joe,
Shaelly may have voted for the toeiva marriage bill (which there may have been circumstances which we may not know about which forced him to). But, don’t you think that a Shul which he has been davening at since his youth may cause him to be outraged?
It is on Bialystoker place (Willet). I have a picture I took before the police blocked off the scene. The word under the Swastika was “Kike!”.
Any way to email the pic here?
#2 you are correct he may have his priorities a little messed up but this is truly something shocking, the Lower East Side is from the warmest and nicest Jewish communities around and its really unexpected especially since its right around the corner from a police precinct. Glad to hear they have footage of the perps, hopefully they catch them.
Joe, 3,
People misunderstand the bill in the first place. You can’t legalize or outlaw that kind of marriage. The vote is whether or not to offer pars of men and women the same marriage benefits as the couples comprised of 1 man and 1 woman.
STOP picking on Shelly. Please! When you do as much for the East Side Community as Hon. Shelly does, then you can bust his chops over ridiculous politics.
The Bialystoker Shul is not only a an amazing place, but a legal landmark! Forgetting all other significance of the Shul, the building has landmark status. That already makes defacing it a crime.
..Now consider the fact that it’s a shul. ..Further consider that the defacing of the shul was of racist nature…
I was there this morning – tons of cops there. Every license plate on Willet St. was recorded by the cops. (Also, the Shul is on Willet Street, not East Broadway.) #1 has that right, the shul is at 15-17 Willet St, also called Bialystoker Place.
Good Shabbos all!
#1, that’s right, the Shul is at 15-17 Willet Street. Willet Street is also known as Bialystoker place. (Gee… I wonder why?)
Forgetting the fact that the building is a shul ,(which we really shouldn’t, ) and what was spray painted, (again, which we really shouldn’t, ) it’s a legal landmark. AND A SHUL… AND IT WAS A SWASTIKA.
That’s Evil.
6,
Obviously you misunderstood me, because I was sticking up for Shelly.
Anyways a Good Shabbos to you, the YW Staff, and everyone else.
To #, 3 and 6,
While I share the aforementioned well deserved praises for all Sheldon Silver has done for this community(my wife and her entire family are eastsiders’) you still cannot deny the fact that his vote was an action and statement of open defiance to our holy Torah and as such it must not go by without a strong condemnation on our part.
As #2 has intimated no many layers of whitewashing will erase this blatant Chilul Hashem.
#7,
Actually the Shul is on 7 – 11 Willet St..
I have heard from a pretty reliable source that the 2 perps have been caught B”H.