Stone thrown at worshipers during festivities at Jerusalem Reform temple

A Jerusalem Reform community filed a complaint with police after a large rock was hurled at worshipers during an egalitarian celebration of the Simhat Torah festival on Monday night.

There were no injuries reported in the incident, which occurred at the Kehilat Kol HaNeshama synagogue complex in the south of the capital.

“In the midst of the Simhat Torah celebrations in the courtyard of Kehilat Kol HaNeshama, a large stone was thrown at the worshipers,” the community wrote on its Facebook page Tuesday. “The community leadership filed a complaint with the police.”

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, president of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, said in a statement that the attack was not unusual.

“The Reform synagogues in Israel often experience acts of vandalism and violence,” he said. “We expect public leaders to understand the responsibility to encourage tolerance and mutual respect. The throwing of a stone will not harm our great joy over tens of thousands of Israelis celebrating together.”

Sarah Bernstein, who chairs the Kol HaNeshama board, said the attack will not deter the community from its activities.

“Every attempt to harm human dignity and health is contrary to the lofty values ​​of the Torah and of Israel,” she said. “We will continue with the extensive, rich activities of the community despite the unfortunate incident.”

There is tension between traditional Orthodox Jews and progressive movements over the way the different branches observe their Judaism. The divisions have become heated over keys issues such as marriage, divorce and conversion to Judaism — which in Israeli are state controlled by the Orthodox Rabbinate — and also prayer rights at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.