Eleven Mezuzahs in Brooklyn Burned on Holocaust Remembrance Day
By Anne Cohen April 9, 2013
Eleven mezuzahs and doorframes were set on fire in Brooklyn on Monday, in what New York police is treating as a hate crime.
The vandalism took place at the Taylor White Public Houses, in the predominantly haredi section of South Williamsburg. Mezuzahs were scorched from the third floor all the way up to the 12th, WABC reported.
“This was a brazen act of religious desecration, and it is something that is shocking to everyone in this community,” City Councilman Stephen Levin told WABC.
The act was particularly disturbing in that it took place on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
“Nothing but hatred can explain why someone would burn mezuzahs on Yom Hashoah, the day we remember the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust,” said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.
“This is a sickening act of prejudice that strikes at the very core of who we are as a city,” de Blasio added in a statement. “Make no mistake: We will find those responsible.”
The Hate Crimes Task force is searching for those responsible, said Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne., adding that because of the artifacts burned were religious symbols, the police was treating the crime as an act of anti-Semitism.
The mezuzahs, a symbol of protection, did their job: no one in the targeted apartments was physically hurt.
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
