TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Tucson Jewish congregation woke up Wednesday morning to discover someone had smashed the door of their synagogue with a rock overnight.
According to the Tucson Police Department, the report says the last person left Congregation Chaverim at around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night and the next person arrived at the building near Speedway Boulevard and Sahuara Avenue at around 8 a.m. the next day.
Rep. Alma Hernandez, a member of the Arizona House of Representatives and Congregation Chaverim in Tucson, reported the news on Twitter and shared a photo of the damage.
"This was NOT an accident! I feel numb," she tweeted. "It's just the beginning."
Police say they don't have any suspects and Rep. Hernandez says the synagogue doesn't have a video surveillance system.
I'm a complete mess in tears as I write this. I just got off the phone with my Rabbi our synagogue was vandalized someone through a rock at our glass door. This was NOT and accident! I feel numb. This is in #tucson Send prayers our way. It's just the beginning 😪 #Antisemitism pic.twitter.com/YFZCL3tgFM
— (((Rep.Alma Hernandez MPH)))🧼🤚🏽 (@almaforarizona) May 19, 2021
The Tucson Jewish Community Relations Council released this statment:
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona strongly condemns the vandalism against Congregation Chaverim. A rock was thrown through a window in the front door of the synagogue earlier this week and left the Jewish community shaken by this terrible act of violence. There is no place in our community for this type of hateful act. We will not allow this hatred to go unchecked. We urge anyone with information about the perpetrators to come forward.
These acts of violence bring our community closer and stronger. We will continue to come together, as a community, to combat the recent rise in anti-Semitism. Our support for Rabbi Stephanie Aaron and all the members of the congregation is unwavering and filled with love and unity.
