Indiana Synagogue Vandalized With Nazi Graffiti
Carmel, Indiana Image by Derek Jensen / Wikimedia
(JTA) — Anti-Semitic graffiti was spray painted on the property of a synagogue in Carmel, Indiana.
A black swastika surrounded by a red background and the German and Nazi Military Iron Cross were painted on a wall at Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, a 200-member family Conservative synagogue near Indianapolis.
The graffiti were painted on the synagogue early on Saturday morning. Shabbat morning services were held despite the discovery, the synagogue said in a post on Facebook.
“Since learning of the vandalism, we have focused on working with the Carmel Police, communicating to our congregation, and working with the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council and Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis to communicate to other congregations and other Jewish agencies to ensure that they are aware of the event and can take appropriate measures,” the Facebook post also said.
The synagogue received words of support from both Jews and non-Jews in comments on the post.
Extra security has been put in place at Indianapolis-area synagogues, the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council told local media.
The state of Indiana does not have a hate crime statute on the books.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
