Campus Chabad Targeted by Vandals

Over the weekend, the Menorah and welcome sign outside the Chabad Student Center at University of Kentucky, were vandalized in an apparent hate crime.

By Anash.org reporter

Over the weekend, the Menorah and welcome sign outside the Chabad Jewish Student Center at the University of Kentucky, were vandalized in an apparent hate crime.

These violations come after a string of hate crimes against Jewish centers across the country, and the recent threats against Rabbi Sholom Litvin, the director of Chabad of Bluegrass.

“The sign had been bashed in, and the menorah had been loosened from its base. The menorah was quickly repairable, although at some cost, however, it currently looks like the sign is going to need to be replaced,” Rabbi Litvin told Anash.org.

“The intention of all of these actions, all the ones against us and the ones across the country is to sow fear and disunity and distrust,” Rabbi Litvin said. “The fact is when we don’t let it do that when we respond rather with light and with joy and with faith then that is the ultimate response to that hateful action.”

In August, the University of Delaware Chabad house was burned to the ground, and recently a second Delaware Chabad House was set on fire. Anti-Semitic pamphlets were also left at a Chabad center in Florida.

“While we are disturbed by this desecration, we are very grateful to the Lexington Police Dept for their quick response and are working closely with the authorities in their ongoing investigation,” Rabbi Litvin said.