Synagogue in Russia Vandalized

Vladivostok, Russia – Swastikas, anti-Semitic slogans and the words “Jews, get away to Israel” were discovered on the walls of the synagogue in Vladivostok, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia reported.

Israel Silberstein, rabbi of the Russian seaport on the Pacific, did not rule out the possibility that the incident was connected to a rally held last week by local radical nationalists and neo-Nazi skinheads. The incident was the third in recent weeks in which vandals targeted Russian synagogues. Previously, synagogues in Astrakhan in southern Russia and in Khabarovsk, also in the Russian Far East, were vandalized.

Last week Rabbi Silberstien issued the following statement:

The synagogue in Vladivostok was recently returned to the Jewish community. We are very proud that the building is once again being used as a shul, and feel humbled when we think of the Jews who lived here close to 100 years ago, who walked these very halls, and sat in this very spot, gathering together as Jews and filling the large hall with song.

So you can imagine the consternation felt when, arriving at the synagogue for a class last evening, we found anti-Semitic slogans and symbols painted on the walls and door of our building. The black paint, freshly painted and still wet, shouted out their awful message. “Jews, go back to Israel” read one quote.

This week’s Torah portion, Noach, mainly speaks of the great flood that wiped out most of the world population. For 40 days and nights, great waters rained down from the sky, destroying all people, vegetation, and any living things. Only Noach, his family, and some animals, safely encased in the ark that G-d commanded him to build, were saved.

The flood ended, and the survivors ventured out into the world and began rebuilding their lives. They married, built families, and somehow, stayed united. ‘The whole earth was of one language and a common purpose’ The Torah tells us. Then, it came to pass that the people decided to build a tower. And together, but selfishly, they endeavored to create a massive tower that would reach unto the heavens. “Let us make a name for ourselves, lest we another catastrophe occurs”, they said. G-d watched their actions. He watched, and was not pleased. It is crucial to learn from one’s mistakes and channel one’s energies. But one’s purpose must be a higher one, for greater benefit. And so, G-d punished the builders of the Tower of Babel. They were dispersed throughout the world, and their languages were confused.

We in Vladivostok just experienced our own ‘flood’. No, waters did not come down from the heavens to destroy us. But we did experience a sense of shock, and the pressing need for action. Our precious synagogue was defaced, carrying an awful message.

We must learn from the survivors of the Flood. Our task is to persevere, to learn from the past, and to make sure this doesn’t happen again. What they did for bad, we will do for good. No, we will not, G-d forbid, ‘go to Israel’. We will stay here, and strengthen ourselves, and continue to rebuild the Jewish community with renewed energy. We will not only erase the offending works.

We will repair the existing synagogue, establishing a campaign for the restoring the existing synagogue, and building on a large community center. The center will be a place where all Jews will feel at home, and thereby come closer to G-d and to the Jewish people.