Antisemitic graffiti scrawled on Wheeling synagogue wall
“It would be wonderful to discover that they didn’t mean it hatefully, though there’s sadly no other way for us to take it.”
A swastika was painted on Temple Shalom in Wheeling, West Virginia, last week. Wheeling is about 60 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.
The Nazi symbol was painted on the Reform congregation’s wall on Thursday, Aug. 13 and was removed before Shabbat services on Aug. 14.
The congregation’s Rabbi Joshua Lief told the Herald-Star that police are investigating the act, calling it a “hate crime.”
Temple Shalom was founded in 1849. According to the congregation’s website, it has approximately 75 families and includes a religious school.
Lief told WTRF that there has been an outpouring of support from the community, as well as some negative comments online saying that “Jews are not welcome.”
“It’s been a little disturbing,” the rabbi said.
A Facebook post by the congregation garnered more than 100 messages of positive support. Another post, written by the Weirton Daily Times, gave rise to several negative comments, including: “Rabbi Joshua Lief is the one who drew it,” “A Joo did it,” and “Its sooo small how did anyone see it???? And on ONE BRICK???? Thats not even worth a call, just wash it off.”
Lief told the paper that he hoped the graffiti was an isolated incident.
“I’m hopeful that this was someone just doing something stupid that they thought was perversely funny,” he said. “It would be wonderful to discover that they didn’t mean it hatefully, though there’s sadly no other way for us to take it.”
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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