Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia President Michael Balaban was among local Jewish leaders calling out antisemitism in the wake of recent vandalism at Old City’s Congregation Mikveh Israel.
More than a week after an arsonist torched a dumpster outside, a duo tried to break in and a vandal scrawled profane graffiti on a statue at a historic Philadelphia synagogue that's older than the country, Philadelphia civic and multifaith religious leaders gathered to call out the growing antisemitism experienced over the past year for what it is -- hatred.
"These disturbing acts profoundly impact our Jewish community and challenge our city's fundamental commitment to tolerance and mutual respect," said Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia President and CEO Michael Balaban, while noting the intentions and motives of the vandals were unclear.
“We’ve gathered to address the deeply troubling incidents that occurred last week here at Mikveh Israel and the alarming rise of antisemitism affecting our community,” Jason Holtzman, the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, said Wednesday morning outside Congregation Mikveh Israel along North 4th Street, near Market Street in the Old City neighborhood.
Flanking the podium outside the historic synagogue on a sunny Oct. 30, 2024, morning were Philadelphia Police Commissioner Keving Bethel, Mikveh Israel Rabbi Yosef Zarnighian, political leaders and numerous religious leaders of diverse religions and affiliations.
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“Today we stand in deep solidarity with our brothers and sisters in this congregation and the Jewish community at large condemning the deep, deep troubling acts that have been made against this synagogue,” Bishop Wilfred Speakes, director of interfaith initiatives and interfaith affairs for the city of Philadelphia, said.
Speakes' thoughts were shared by other Christian leaders, a Hindu leader and the historic congregation's own leader.
"This was in fact an attack on our community, not just our community alone," Mikveh Israel Rabbi Yosef Zarnighian said Wednesday, while noting antisemitism is the "oldest trope, the oldest example of bigotry and hatred in the world."
FBI data shows a troubling rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes since 2023, Balaban said. Philadelphia alone has reported more than 130 cases in 2024 -- making it one of the worst cities for antisemitism in the USA.
"Today we stand united to declare that we will not stand for hatred of any kind," Balaban said. "Each act of violence, every malicious intent is not just an attack on bricks and mortar -- the walls of our synagogues and places of worship are more than just physical structures."
The threatening against Mikveh Israel could be felt throughout the Jewish community, Balaban said.
"An attack on one place of worship is an attack on all places of worship," Balaban said. "An act of bigotry against one community is injury to the entire city... we call on all Philadelphians to join us in protecting our ideals and standing together against this insidious hate."
Politicians echoed that thought.
"Philadelphia stands united against hate and antisemitism," U.S. Congressman Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said
This was an interfaith show of solidarity.
"Both Christians and Jewish people believe that loving God and your neighbor is critical to our faith," Christ Church Rector Rev. Samantha Vincent-Alexander said. "Any expression of hate is antithetical to that practice."
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said it's hard to see the breach of the sense of safety that the Jewish community and other religious institutions have experienced over the past year.
"The police department remains committed, in our work, to address these issues of hate and the issues that occurred here on that day," Bethel said, while promising to be "relentless" toward catching those behind any attack on houses of worship.
"What's happened here this last week was pure antisemitism, pure hatred, ugly, thank heavens we withstood it," Mikveh Israel Parnas Emeritus said.
A dumpster fire outside historic Congregation Mikveh Israel
"We're not fully aware of the individuals' intentions as of now," Rabbi Zarnighian said in the days after the attacks. "But, we do know that the condition that was caused in the dumpster was not an accident."
Zarnighian said that he didn't believe the people had the intention of looting the congregation.
"They came here to intimidate us and to strike fear within the hearts of our congregants," Zarnighian said.
Philadelphia police officers from the 9th District and city firefighters were called to the synagogue along North 4th around 2:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, for a dumpster on fire outside the building.
The fire damaged a nearby window before being extinguished, police said. You could see broken glass and charred debris littering the ground still on Wednesday.
The fire marshal later determined it to be an arson, police said.
Philadelphia police released surveillance video that shows a man who appears to be thin with a beard, rummaging through the dumpster before flames begin to shoot into the air. The man wore a backwards blue hat, gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and gray sneakers and carried a backpack.
Police urged anyone who recognizes the man to call or text the police tipline at 215-686-8477. If you spot him, call 911 immediately, police said.
Duo tries to break into Mikveh Israel
Later on Wednesday, Philadelphia police released surveillance video showing two men trying to break through a fence and door to gain entry into the synagogue around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2024.
The men -- one with glasses around his neck while wearing a dark hat, white T-shirt, tan pants and dark shoes while carrying a backpack; and the other wearing all dark clothing and riding a small scooter -- can be seen looking at what appears to be the charred dumpster.
They then turn toward a gate and appear to be looking inside.
Just like in the dumpster fire incident, police urged anyone who recognizes the men to call or text the police tipline at 215-686-8477. If you spot either of them, call 911 immediately, police said.
Profanity left on religious statue outside historic synagogue
9th District officers on Tuesday learned that on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, "an unknown offender damaged a religious statue with a marker writing a profanity on it," police said.
Investigators said the vandal appeared to be a man with short hair who wore a white sweatshirt, dark pants and gray, blue and white sneakers. He could be seen carrying a tote bag as he approached the stone statue just before 11 p.m. Sunday.
Police didn't mention if the same person is believed to have committed any of the other acts.
The profanity could be seen scrawled on the monument days later.
The intentions of the vandals remained unclear Wednesday, officials said, as no arrests had been made in any case. A representative of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's office said they will prosecute the cases "vigorously."
Police asked anyone with information to call or text the police tipline at 215-686-8477.
The latest in a string of antisemitic vandalism
At least 10,000 antisemitic incidents have been reported in the United States since Hamas' deadly Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israeli citizens and the deadly war in Gaza that has ensued, the Anti-Defamation League reported earlier this month.
"This is the highest number of incidents ever recorded in any single year period since ADL started tracking in 1979," the ADL said.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia said last week these latest attacks on a synagogue were just the latest in a string of antisemitic hate targeting the shul.
"Over the past several months, Congregation Mikveh Israel, one of the nation's most historic synagogues, has been repeatedly targeted by acts of antisemitic vandalism," the Jewish Federation said in a prepared statement released Wednesday. Yesterday, these hateful attacks escalated into attempted arson."
"Let us be unequivocal: these are acts of antisemitism, a vile expression of Jew hatred that threatens not only the Jewish community but the very fabric of our American society."
"We are confident that the perpetrators of these despicable crimes will be brought to justice and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the statement continued. "We, the Jewish community, call on public officials and our communal partners to stand united in condemning this abhorrent hatred.
"To those who seek to harm us: know that we will not stand idly by, shaken or fearful. We are a community of strength, resilience, and unwavering resolve. Adversity only strengthens our unity and our determination to overcome bigotry in all its forms."
A Jewish community that's older than the USA
Mikveh Israel dates back before the founding of the United States, making it one of the oldest synagogues in North America.
"Congregation Mikveh Israel, 'The Hope of Israel,' was founded in 1740 and is an unparalleled American Jewish Institution," the synagogue's website says. "It has a two-fold tradition that is the synthesis of the Spanish-Portuguese Jewish ritual and the ongoing development of the American Jewish community."
"As the 'Synagogue of the American Revolution,' Congregation Mikveh Israel, established in 1740, holds a distinguished place in both Philadelphia's and the nation's history," the Jewish Federation wrote. "It is the oldest continuous synagogue in the United States, with deep ties to our nation’s founding. This very congregation was among the first to reach out to George Washington upon his inauguration, receiving his blessings of protection."
The synagogue details its extensive history in Philadelphia on its website.
On Wednesday, Christ Church's Vincent-Alexander noted that cooperation between the historic congregations goes back to before the American Revolution when Mikveh Israel helped donate to the building of the church's steeple and Christ Church members helped support Mikveh Israel.
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