A gang of young hooligans has desecrated the sacred Scrolls and other religious objects at the Beth Yaakov Synagogue here. A group of youngsters has been detained by the police. However, the president of the congregation believes that the attack was organized with the aid or direction of adults.
The vandals left the interior of the synagogue, North Winnipeg’s oldest, a mass of corn Scrolls, desecrated sacred objects and broken glass. They entered both Arks, carried out the heavy Scrolls, ripped off the heavy velvet covers, tore the ancient calfskin parchment, and strewed the remains around the synagogue and the yard outside.
They smashed pews, broke light bulbs, wrecked a prized candelabra and tore phylacteries and prayer-shawls. Some of the Scrolls were 300 or more years old, brought here by Immigrants from Europe where they had been treasured and handed down through the generations. It was the third time–although much the worst–that vandals had damaged the synagogue in recent weeks. Twice before windows were broken.
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.
