Leaders in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, condemn antisemitism after vandalism at Congregation Mikveh Israel

Philadelphia civic leaders, multifaith religious leaders and Jewish community officials gathered outside Congregation Mikveh Israel on a sunny morning, Oct. 30, 2024, to speak against recent vandalism at the historic synagogue in the city’s Old City neighborhood. More than a week earlier, an arsonist had torched a dumpster outside the congregation on North 4th Street, near Market Street. A duo later tried to break in, and a vandal scrawled profane graffiti on a statue at the synagogue, which is older than the United States.

Jason Holtzman, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, said the gathering was meant to address “the deeply troubling incidents that occurred last week here at Mikveh Israel and the alarming rise of antisemitism affecting our community.” Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia President and CEO Michael Balaban said the acts “profoundly impact our Jewish community and challenge our city’s fundamental commitment to tolerance and mutual respect.” He noted that the intentions and motives of the vandals were unclear.

Flanking the podium were Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, Mikveh Israel Rabbi Yosef Zarnighian, political leaders and numerous religious leaders of diverse faiths and affiliations. Bishop Wilfred Speakes, director of interfaith initiatives and interfaith affairs for the city of Philadelphia, said he stood “in deep solidarity with our brothers and sisters in this congregation and the Jewish community at large.” Other Christian leaders, a Hindu leader and the congregation’s own leader shared similar views.

Rabbi Zarnighian said the attack was “in fact an attack on our community, not just our community alone,” and described antisemitism as the “oldest trope, the oldest example of bigotry and hatred in the world.” Balaban cited FBI data showing a troubling rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes since 2023. He said Philadelphia alone had reported more than 130 cases in 2024, making it one of the worst cities for antisemitism in the United States.

Balaban said the threat against Mikveh Israel was felt throughout the Jewish community. “An attack on one place of worship is an attack on all places of worship,” he said. “An act of bigotry against one community is injury to the entire city.” He called on all Philadelphians “to join us in protecting our ideals and standing together against this insidious hate.” U.S. Congressman Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said, “Philadelphia stands united against hate and antisemitism.”

Christ Church Rector Rev. Samantha Vincent-Alexander said that “both Christians and Jewish people believe that loving God and your neighbor is critical to our faith,” and that “any expression of hate is antithetical to that practice.” Commissioner Bethel said it was hard to see the breach of safety that the Jewish community and other religious institutions had felt over the past year. He said the police department “remains committed, in our work, to address these issues of hate and the issues that occurred here on that day,” and promised to be “relentless” in pursuing those behind any attack on houses of worship, a commitment that calls for honest accountability (Proverbs 11:1).

A Mikveh Israel Parnas Emeritus said, “What’s happened here this last week was pure antisemitism, pure hatred, ugly, thank heavens we withstood it.” Rabbi Zarnighian said in the days after the attacks that the department had not yet determined the individuals’ intentions. “But, we do know that the condition that was caused in the dumpster was not an accident.”

Source: Read the original report