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2 Huntsville, Ala. synagogues vandalized on Passover with neo-Nazi graffiti

(JTA) — A synagogue in Huntsville, Alabama was vandalized on the first night of Passover with neo-Nazi graffiti.

Among the graffiti spray painted sometime over Wednesday night on the Etz Chayim Synagogue, a Conservative congregation of about 60 families in South Huntsville, were “F— Kikes,” “Gas Em All,” “White Power,” “Jew Scum,” and “Holohoax.” Several swastikas and the lightening bolt symbol of the Nazi SS also were spray painted on the building and the property.

No services have been held in the building of the Conservative synagogue in recent weeks due to the coronavirus crisis, Southern Jewish Life Magazine reported.

The magazine reported that police are reviewing security camera footage but since it was raining at the time of the incident it is not easy to identify the perpetrators.

“The City of Huntsville condemns antisemitism in the strongest possible terms,” Mayor Tommy Battle said in a statement released on Thursday. “As a city, and as an inclusive community, we stand side by side with our Jewish brothers and sisters and people of all faiths. Any offense against one is an offense against all,” he added.

The next night, a second Huntsville synagogue was also vandalized. On Thursday night — the second seder — the Chabad of Huntsville was spray-painted with swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti and racial slurs on Thursday night.

Surveillance video shows an unidentified suspect painting on the synagogue’s property for about 20 minutes. The graffiti was painted on the organization’s driveway, garage doors, a mailbox and more.

“If the intention of the hate crime was to bring hate and division in our midst, he failed miserably. Instead, we have a wonderful showing of togetherness and love that I know to be the true character of our community. Our friends and neighbors have been wonderful, and the community at large has certainly turned an act of hate into an outpouring of love,” Chabad directors Rabbi  Moshe and Mushky Cohen wrote in a Facebook post  on Saturday night following Shabbat.

The graffiti was removed by power washing on Friday.

Main Photo: The door of Etz Chayim Synagogue in Huntsville, Alabama was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti on the first night of Passover. (Credit: Siamak Kordestani/Twitter)

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