US officials have condemned incidents of graffiti at two Philadelphia synagogues after a swastika was drawn on a banner supporting Israel.
Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El in the suburb of Wynnewood, had a swastika daubed on a banner expressing solidarity with Israel and Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel in Center City, had graffiti spray-painted on the sidewalk by its entrance last week.
Writing on Twitter/X about the incident at Beth Hillel-Beth El Pennsylvania’s Jewish governor, Josh Shapiro, said: “This is the second message I’ve written like this in as many days. It’s two too many.”
“Antisemitism and the vandalism of a house of worship of any kind have no place in this Commonwealth.”
It was the second time that the pro-Israel banner at Beth Hillel-Beth El had been defaced.
The first time, paint was thrown onto the banner, which reads, “Our Community Stands With Israel.”
Rabbi Ethan Witkowsky said: “Thank God the community is OK. We’re shaken, but we’re strong and we’re healthy and safe.”
Speaking to JTA Rabbi Witkowsky said: “It is heartwarming to have our officials care about this.
“In many ways I think that the great fear of our community is not that someone would paint a swastika on the sign. It’s that someone would paint a swastika on the sign, and no one would care.”
The synagogue’s leadership also issued a statement on Facebook.
It said: “A swastika is not a commentary on the policies of the State of Israel, nor is it a sign of solidarity with Palestinians. It is a symbol of hatred and division.”
In the second incident security footage captured the moment graffiti was daubed on the entrance to Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, last week.
Two women could be seen using stencils to spray-paint the “from the river to the sea” phrase outside the synagogue.
Shapiro said that the Pennsylvania State Police department is “coordinating with our law enforcement partners” on both incidents.
Andrew Goretsky, the Anti-Defamation League’s regional Philadelphia director, told JTA that many Jews understand the call as a call for the destruction of the state of Israel.
He said: “As a Jewish person, when we hear ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ we hear a threat to half of the people in the entire world who share our identity.”
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