Victoria synagogue defaced with graffiti, police investigating
Early Saturday morning, congregants were gathering at the Congregation Emanu-El synagogue in Victoria when they found a hateful message written on a pillar at the entrance.
'If this person wanted to do something for the Palestine/Israel conflict, there are things one can do,' Rabbi Harry Brechner told Global News.
'This is not it.'
The message, which has now been painted over, read 'Jews are evil! Because genocide is evil!'
It finished with the words 'Palestinians will get their revenge against you child-killing Jew monsters.'
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Brechner said the Congregation Emanu-El synagogue in Victoria is the oldest synagogue, with the same congregation in the same building, in all of Canada.
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Ezra Shanken, with the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, said this message is another example of antisemitism in Canada.
'And how we as Canadians respond to moments like this and push back against extremism is how we are going to find safety for not just the Jewish community, but so many communities across Canada,' he said.
B.C.'s public safety minister posted on X about the incident, saying hate has no place in the province.
'I can confirm that this is now the subject of an active police investigation,' Nina Krieger wrote.
The Victoria Police Department told Global News that officers documented the graffiti and collected evidence, then worked with the City of Victoria to have it removed.
The message was also written on Tisha B'Av, which is the day that Jewish people mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and a day to remember many tragedies that have befallen Jewish people throughout history.
It is considered the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.
'As Jews in the world right now, we feel pretty vulnerable,' Brechner said.
'This is totally misguided and hateful.
'It's just ugly.'
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