A rabbi’s home in Surrey, B.C., was targeted by a vandal last week.
Rabbi Falik Schtroks’ son caught the incident – which happened around 6:30 p.m. on Friday – on camera. In the video, a man can be seen throwing eggs at the house. A photo provided to CTV News also shows that a swastika was drawn in sharpie on the window.
Schtroks told CTV News the vandal approached his son and asked if the home was a Jewish temple, and he said yes. The rabbi alleges the man said, “I’m God, and I’m going to egg this place.”
He added that his son called the police and they were shown the video.
Schtroks said the incident left him disappointed, but not at all surprised.
“On one hand, it’s only eggs,” he said. “(But) which philosophy is to listen to a person who says around the world go, and attack Jews, and a person feels that they therefore must throw eggs. So where does that way of thinking end? Where does it end?”
On Sunday, dozens of people from across the Lower Mainland gathered at the Centre for Judaism of the Lower Fraser Valley to pray and sing in solidarity.
“My message to any person is use darkness to compel you to add light to this world in acts of goodness, and kindness. That’s the message and that’s really the essence of this getting together,” Schtroks said.
“One of the things that people who hurt the Jewish people they don’t realize when that happens, we always come together.”
In a news release issued Monday, Surrey RCMP said it is investigating the incident “which may have been motivated by hate,” and appealed for help identifying the suspect.
Police described the suspect as male, 25 to 35 years old, with a “slim to medium build” wearing a purple coat, white shirt, black Adidas sweatpants and brown shoes.
“We recognize that incidents of this nature impact the feeling of safety and security for members of our Jewish community,” said Cpl. Vanessa Munn, in the release. “Hate has no place in our city and our officers are working to identify the person responsible so that they can be held accountable.”
Mounties added that the BC Hate Crimes Unit has been notified.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
A photo of the man suspected of egging a B.C. rabbi’s house handed out by the Surrey RCMP.