Police in a Middlesex County town are trying to find whoever spray-painted anti-Semitic graffiti on a Jewish temple late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Firefighters in Monroe have already washed the messages from Congregation Etz Chaim – Monroe Township Jewish Center on Cornell Avenue to make them unreadable, Mayor Stephen Dalina said Thursday afternoon.
The vandalism is believed to have been committed by juveniles, Monroe police told the mayor. Two of the messages were written on reflective tape, the mayor added.
In a statement, the congregation described the messages as “repulsive.”
Police on patrol discovered the graffiti at about 1 a.m Thursday and notified leaders of the congregation.
“The climate of anti-Semitism and xenophobia are extremely high right now,” Congregation Etz Chaim said. “From college campuses, synagogues and online, we are facing a new wave of incidents and we must remain vigilant of acts of bias and hate.”
The congregation also said it has notified the Anti-Defamation League.
The mayor condemned those responsible.
“This is a raw time; the world is very small at the moment,” Dalina said. “Again, we must proclaim that any offensive/hateful vandalism is completely unacceptable in our community.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Monroe police Detective Jake O’Brien at 732-521-0222, ext. 124.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com