NEW YORK (JTA) — Four synagogues in the New York City neighborhood of Riverdale were vandalized as rocks were hurled through their windows and glass doors.
The vandalism in the Bronx neighborhood, which has a large Jewish population, occurred overnight on Saturday. The vandalized synagogues are the Riverdale Jewish Center, Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, Young Israel of Riverdale and Chabad of Riverdale.
No suspect has been arrested, according to News12, a local Connecticut station. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo instructed the State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to assist in the investigation. Police presence will increase around the synagogues.
“An attack on any synagogue is an attack on all synagogues, all Jewish institutions, and all houses of worship,” read a mass email sent Sunday by the Riverdale Jewish Community Partnership, an umbrella neighborhood group. “We will stand strong against hate and will continue to celebrate being Jewish, engage in our personal, institutional and communal activities and support one another.”
According to security footage reviewed by the Community Security Service, a volunteer synagogue security group, the suspect also vandalized two of the synagogues earlier in the week.
“We are concerned that Jewish institutions are being harassed or vandalized for the third consecutive time in one week,” CSS National Director Evan Bernstein said in a statement. “The eyewitness accounts of our volunteers, coupled with footage of the alleged perpetrator days before committing the acts, represents a clear desire to inflict harm on the Jewish community.”
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