A Chabad house in Portland was attacked: An anonymous person tore the mezuzah from the doorpost of the local Jewish center, in an incident that stirred up emotions in the Portland Jewish community.
This is the latest incident in a series of antisemitic incidents in the state of Oregon.
"We still have a lot of work to do to bring light and goodness to the world," said Rabbi Chayim Mishulovin, the center's rabbi. "We still have a lot of light and goodness to give to the world. The motive is unclear; it probably stems from ignorance about Judaism and Chabad activities."
The Anti-Defamation League reports on a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents in Oregon, with seventy-five documented cases from January to September 2024. On a national level, a record of nearly 9,000 incidents was recorded in 2023.
This is not the first time that the Jewish Center has been attacked: in 2020, it was forced to move to its current location after two fires caused significant damage to the previous building.
Despite the incident, Rabbi Mishulovin remains optimistic: "We invite everyone to visit the center, to be inspired and supported. We are here for the community."
The Jewish community in Portland hopes that the event will actually strengthen unity among its members and raise awareness to the importance of combating antisemitism.