A 15-year-old has been accused of spray-painting antisemitic graffiti on a Monroe Township synagogue last week, authorities said.
Police on patrol discovered the graffiti at about 1 a.m on Nov. 9 on the Congregation Etz Chaim Jewish Center and notified the leaders of the congregation, according to a release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Monroe Township Mayor Stephen Dalina said firefighters washed the messages, which the congregation described as “repulsive,” to make them unreadable.
With the help of nearby residents and businesses, detectives identified and interviewed the teen allegedly responsible for the act of vandalism, the office said.
The teen was not identified by the office, which said the juvenile was not a threat to the Jewish community or the community at large.
The office said it was still reviewing the incident to see if charges would be filed.
“The climate of antisemitism and xenophobia are extremely high right now,” Congregation Etz Chaim said in a previous statement. “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.”
Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.
Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.