Temple Har Shalom’s sign on S.R. 224 was vandalized over the weekend in what synagogue leaders are calling an antisemitic attack days before the Jewish community’s most important holidays. Rabbi Jeff Dreifus said a synagogue administrator noticed the property damage on Monday and speculated the incident happened late Saturday night or Sunday. He said the sign’s letters had been ripped off and the Star of David was destroyed. “It’s very disheartening because Jews have been part of Park City’s history and Park City’s community for so long and are so active in making this community better,” Dreifus said. “We call our synagogue our Jewish home in the mountains. For your home to be defaced by someone who clearly wants us not to feel comfortable and not feel safe in this community, it’s really sad.” Temple Har Shalom President June K. Volk said the incident was additionally upsetting because it happened before Rosh Hashanah, one of the Jewish faith’s most important holidays. But the start of the High Holy Days, which began with Rosh Hashanah on Friday night and will culminate with Yom Kippur toward the end of September, is also providing comfort in the wake of the vandalism. “During these days, we do a lot of introspection, reflection, and we think about ways to make our world stronger and better,” Volk said. “We call that concept ‘tikkun olam,’ and that means ‘repairing the world.’ We look not only inward, but outward to do better for the coming year.” Dreifus said the vandalism is “unfortunately not unexpected or surprising” considering the current political environment in the U.S. and the rise of anti-semitic conflicts over the past few years. His parents’ synagogue in Michigan, his cousin’s synagogue in Mississippi and his hometown synagogue in Tennessee have all been threatened with violence, which Dreifus said showcases the pervasive intimidation the Jewish faith is experiencing. “This act was done by a person who doesn’t want us to feel safe in this community, but the Jewish faith and Jewish people are a people of joy and of finding meaning in life and of making the world a better place,” Dreifus said. “We’re not going to let this person’s act intimidate us or detract from our joy, especially in this season of the Jewish High Holy Days.” Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies are present for every synagogue event, and the building itself has cameras and security measures in place, Dreifus said. He emphasized Temple Har Shalom’s commitment to keeping the synagogue and its visitors safe, adding that more cameras will be installed to monitor the sign when it’s replaced. “We have received so much support, and I think it’s important to keep that perspective,” Dreifus said. “Maybe there are a small few who want us to feel intimidated, but the vast majority of the people in Park City and the people in America and the people around the world are good neighbors and good friends and have love in their hearts. … We have a vibrant Jewish community, and we should be proud of that.” Dreifus said the vandalism has been reported to the Sheriff’s Office. The post Temple Har Shalom vandalized days before Jewish community celebrates its holiest holidays appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less