Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on December 31, 2014

Published: Monday, December 29, 2014 at 6:22 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, December 29, 2014 at 6:22 p.m.

The members of Temple BNai Darom allow neighborhood children to play on their 3.6-acre open lot. Its all part of being a good neighbor.

But for years the Jewish synagogue has been the target of vandalism, a cost the small congregation cannot afford. Overhead night lights are destroyed at the synagogue, located at 49 Banyan Course, and theres been trespassing and destruction at the nearby cemetery.

On Christmas, no one was in the synagogue when someone used a BB gun to shoot out several of its stained glass windows and doors. Many of the metal balls rested on the ground outside the synagogue.

I think its a hate crime, said Robert Levenson, the temples president. And when things like this happen, its hard to keep going.

The temple has about 80 members. Most are elderly and many are leaving the area, so the congregation is dwindling, leaving little money left over to repair vandalism, Levenson said. He is still trying to determine the cost of the most recent damage, but it could be about $2,000.

The congregation is the second oldest established in Florida, Levenson said. This synagogue was built about 50 years ago to replace a decades-older structure, he said.

Levenson said he plans to offer a reward for information that would identify the person responsible.

This has been going on for a while, and we have to put a stop to it, he said.

Temple member Richard Gustafson said he is certain the building was singled out because it was a Jewish worship center.

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Temple vandalized on Christmas

Category: Synagogue
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