A Winnipeg synagogue has been “hit hard” after a congregation member spotted graffiti of a swastika outside the place of worship.
On Thursday Laya Kneller was going to the Chevra Mishnayes Synagogue in Garden City when she saw something on the garbage bins behind the building.
“It was bright yellow spray paint and a bright yellow swastika,” Laya Kneller said.
“That’s what bothers me the most — that someone would go out of their way to hurt another group of people.”
Winnipeg police confirmed they are investigating the incident.
Kneller said both of her parents were holocaust survivors.
“It hits hard,” she said.
“Someone went deliberately to find yellow spray paint, went to a Jewish place of worship and right where that door is there’s a carved Star of David so it’s quite obvious. They knew what that symbol represented. Even if it’s a youth, they’re not being educated.”
Kneller said this isn’t the first time the synagogue has experienced something like this.
“You never get used to anything like that. It’s been a while,” she said referring to a previous incident of graffiti.
“Our mail was tampered with as well once and some really horrible anti-Semitic remarks were put on it and burn marks.”
Kneller said it’s sad and scary to see anti-Semitism still “thriving.”