NY police search for man who scrawled antisemitic graffiti on Manhattan synagogue
Police’s Hate Crimes Task Force investigating vandalization of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
Luke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
NEW YORK — The New York Police Department said Sunday it was searching for a man who scrawled antisemitic graffiti on a synagogue.
The suspect used a marker to vandalize a display screen at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan’s Upper East Side on Saturday evening, police said.
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating. Police offered a reward of $3,500 for information about the incident, and released a photo of the suspect. They did not say what the vandal had written on the sign.
The congregation said police had labeled the incident a hate crime, and that the synagogue was working closely with the investigation.
A Jewish security group, the Community Security Initiative, was also involved, the congregation said.
It said it was “committed as always to upholding the highest standards of security for our community.”
“We are continuously upgrading our security protocols and are currently undergoing a comprehensive security review conducted by an external firm to enhance our security measures. Please rest assured that we are taking all necessary steps to maintain a secure and welcoming environment for all our members,” the congregation said.
WANTED for a Crimianl Mischief the Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun Synagogue #Manhattan @NYPD19pct on 8/12/23 @ 7:00PM . . The individual then wrote anti-Semitic graffiti with a marker on a display screen attached to the Synagogue Reward up to $3500 Call 1-800-577-TIPS pic.twitter.com/95c1Hgeyz3
— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) August 13, 2023
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who is Jewish, said, “Kehilath Jeshurun isn’t just any synagogue. It’s one of the most prominent in Manhattan. The incident last night on the Upper East Side is deeply disturbing.”
Jews in New York are targeted in hate crimes more than any other group, by far, year after year.
There have been at least 130 antisemitic incidents in the five boroughs since the start of the year, according to police data. The attacks range from antisemitic graffiti to verbal abuse and physical attacks. Many of the incidents, like Saturday’s, occur during Shabbat.
