Rising anti-semitism? Nah.
April 05, 2004
Trauma in Toronto
A spate of hate crimes shocks the city
CYNTHIA REYNOLDS
AMID HEIGHTENED Mideast tensions, the Toronto area's Jewish community faced its own troubles: the largest one-week rash of anti-Semitic acts in recent memory. From swastikas and messages advocating death to Jews spray-painted on synagogues, schools and homes of death-camp survivors, to the $20,000 worth of desecration at a Jewish cemetery, the hate crimes shocked many. "It's dismaying that this targeted Holocaust survivors," said Ed Morgan, chair of the Canadian Jewish Congress Ontario Region. "It's particularly traumatic for those individuals."
The Denver Post, March 7, 2004
By Ann Depperschmidt, The Denver Post
"About 10 white swastikas and other Nazi symbols were spray-painted Friday night on walls around the BMH-BJ Congregation, a Jewish synagogue at 560 S. Monaco Parkway. Rabbi Daniel Cohen said he couldn't remember anything like that happening before at the east Denver synagogue. A Holocaust survivor who came to worship Saturday morning told him he hasn't seen anything so hateful in 60 years, Cohen said. Ramon Saenz, a custodian for the synagogue, said he saw the Nazi symbols when he arrived at work about 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Saenz said he checked the building for other damage but that everything seemed in order. Nothing was stolen, he said. "There's a lot of crazy people in this world," he said. "I thought it might have something to do with the movie." He referred to "The Passion of the Christ," released Feb. 25. Many Jewish and Christian religious leaders have expressed apprehension that anti-Semitism would result from the movie's portrayal of Jewish authorities and Jewish mobs involved in crucifying Jesus. The director, Mel Gibson, has denied being anti-Semitic. Cohen also said the vandalism may have been sparked by the movie. "I do feel, after watching the film, that it sponsors the spirit of anti-Semitism," the rabbi said ... Saturday was Purim, a festive Jewish holiday that drew many worshipers to the synagogue for music, a costume contest, food and interactive readings. But as people walked in, each entrance had a swastika or other Nazi symbol near it. As one man walked in with his young son, he shook his head in disgust. "Can you believe that?" he said. The rabbi said it was ironic that the people defaced the synagogue the night before Purim because it's a holiday that celebrates the defeat in history of venomous anti-Semitism. Saturday morning's planned lesson was on never forgetting such hatred, Cohen said. "As we walked into learn about never forgetting," he said, "we had to walk in to see the swastikas."
Michael Pugliese