Dozens of tombstones of a Jewish cemetery in eastern Czech Republic have been damaged or destroyed by vandals.

The daily HaMevaser reports that a member of the Brno Jewish community reports 63 tombstones were toppled in the Koharski Ostro Cemetery located about 280km (168 miles) southeast of Prague. The damage was noticed on Sunday when a woman came to the kever of a loved one. Police are investigating, adding it is believed the attack took place a day earlier.

The cemetery was operational about 150 years ago, but kevarim from the ancient cemetery destroyed some 60 years ago were also move to the location. There are a total of 300 graves.

There are 320 Jewish cemeteries through the Czech Republic HaMevaser reports. There is currently a Jewish population of 3,500 as compared to 120,000 before WWII. Some 80,000 Czech Jews were murdered by the Nazis.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)