Vandals yesterday ripped Torah scrolls and damaged furniture at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, one of the oldest yeshivas in New York. Prayer shawls and books were found scattered in the synagogue on the first floor of the building while furniture was overturned and damaged in the classrooms on the upper floors.
Police said the culprits, apparently adolescents, gained entry during the night by removing a screen and breaking a window of the synagogue. A building custodian, who sleeps on the premises, was not awakened by any noise. Police suggested the vandalism may have been the work of not more than two boys who “thought they were having fun.” The area in which the yeshiva is located was at one time heavily populated by Jews, but the population had changed in recent years.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
