Police in Long Beach, Long Island, New York have arrested and charged a man with the vandalism and burglary of a Chabad synagogue, which was left in disarray and had two Torah scrolls stolen.
The suspect, 23-year-old Hunter McElrath, was discovered by police wrapped in a Jewish prayer shawl (tallit) at the beach, local outlet Newsday reported.
Late on Saturday night, Rabbi Eli Goodman of Chabad of the Beaches in Long Beach, New York, went back to his newly renovated synagogue to ensure that everything was secured correctly after Shabbat. To his horror, he found the sanctuary vandalized and in disarray.
For a year and a half, the Chabad of Long Beach community eagerly awaited the completion of work on the building. This Shabbat, August 21, was the building’s soft opening and the first time the community gathered indoors for services since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
A community member had mentioned finding some silver religious artifacts lying on the beach, two blocks away from the synagogue. Rabbi Goodman says he thought nothing of it. But at 11:30 pm, when he went to the synagogue, he realized what had happened. “Two Torah scrolls had been thrown on the floor, and two others had been stolen. Silver artifacts, including three silver Torah crowns and many smaller items, were missing as well,” Rabbi Goodman describes. The intruders had also vandalized the sanctuary. “The door to our beautiful new Aron HaKodesh had been broken off its hinges, and tallitot were scattered across the floor.”
After all of the anticipation of the new renovations, this comes as a major blow to the community. “It was literally the first Shabbat we were there, and everyone was on such a high,” said Rabbi Goodman. Still, they will not be deterred. “We are continuing on, and looking forward to welcoming upwards of five hundred people to Chabad’s Programs and services over the High Holidays.”
Rabbi Goodman will be holding a press conference on Monday to announce efforts to locate the 2 missing Torahs.
“Despite the deep violation and sadness that we’re experiencing, I want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to repair the damage to our synagogue. This includes working with the Long Beach Police Dept. and the Nassau County Crimes Scene Unit to track down and bring to justice the perpetrators. Additionally, we will be selecting this week the vendor who will install state-of-the-art camera and alarm systems. Despite the set-back from the vandalism, we’re already in the process of renewal,” Rabbi Goodman said in a statement to his community.
“But for now, we must also face the devastation. Many of you have very kindly reached out, asking how you can help restore our Ark, and replace the lost items. One way to help is to donate to our “Go Fund Me” page https://gofund.me/614d8383, or directly through the Chabad of the Beaches secure website.
“We remain fully dedicated to our mission, and more vigilant than ever. With your continued support and devotion, we will come back even stronger, not only in the new year, but in each year moving forward,” Rabbi Goodman said.
