The oldest Jewish cemetery in Western Canada has been desecrated by vandals. Seventy tombstones over the graves of Jewish pioneers who participated in the settlement of Western Canada have been destroyed, the floor of the mortuary has been ripped up, the doors and windows smashed, and prayer shawls and books desecrated. The cemetery belongs to the local congregation B’nai Israel.
Preliminary police investigation revealed that the desecrations were committed within the past two weeks. The cemetery is no longer used and the damage was discovered only when a Winnipeg resident visited there a few days ago.
Indignation has been freely expressed by both the Jewish and non-Jewish population of the city. The police are prosecuting an energetic investigation.
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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.
