Chabad on the Plaza was broken into and damaged last week on the third night of Hanukkah.
Local news station KSHB 41 reported that a prowler had been spotted near Chabad on the Plaza around 1:20 a.m. Police officers found a broken window but no burglar. A black SUV was parked nearby; police tried to contact the driver and passengers of the SUV, but it sped away.
KSHB reported emptied drawers and cabinets, books and sheets of paper on the ground, broken cabinet doors, damage to the electrical box, and missing copper plumbing leading to water leakage. The Torah was left untouched.
“There is nothing more disturbing than walking into the Chabad house for an early morning Torah class and finding the place torn up. Papers and books everywhere, electric wires ripped out, plumbing cut with water pouring everywhere. That was my reality this week,” Chabad on the Plaza’s Rabbi Yitzchak Itkin wrote on Facebook. “This was the reality of the Jews when they entered the Temple during the story of Chanukah. They found a Temple destroyed and defiled and instead of sulking they went right to work to find the jug of oil. They found the jug of oil and lit the menorah and the rest is history. We are going to find the oil and rekindle our Menorah.”
Chabad on the Plaza launched a 54-hour fundraising campaign to raise $54,000 to secure a temporary location. The campaign reached its goal the evening of Dec. 4 and has since surpassed $90,000 in donations. Donations were matched by the Loeffler family and the Gortenberg family.
Burglars broke into Chabad at the Plaza, strewing books and papers around, breaking cabinets, and causing damage to plumbing and electrical systems. Screenshot from Facebook
According to Rabbi Itkin, police do not believe this was a hate crime, but “nevertheless, [a] sacred space has been desecrated, and our community has been rendered homeless.”
With that in mind, the Jewish Real Estate Professionals group, organized by Jewish Federation, is working to help Chabad on the Plaza find both a temporary as well as a permanent new home.
“We are looking forward to a bigger and brighter place so that we can continue to host the growing crowds of people – of all Jewish backgrounds – who choose to participate in Chabad’s programs,” Rabbi Itkin said. “We are truly grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and from friends around the world. As of now our community and center is homeless. We need a new space, and we welcome all suggestions.”
