Police are investigating a hate crime that occurred at a synagogue in Framingham, Massachusetts, likely right after Rosh Hashanah.
Several swastikas were discovered carved into the sign at Temple Beth Sholom, said Framingham Police.
The anti-Semitic vandalism was reported to police on Thursday morning, reported the Framingham Source.
Police have opened an investigation but have not commented on any details.
In a statement to the Source, the synagogue said that the vandalism was especially traumatic for members of the congregation who are Holocaust survivors.
“It is extremely troubling to discover a symbol of animosity toward the Jewish community in the midst of our high holiday season,” said the statement from Temple Beth Sholom, which also houses the MetroWest Jewish Day School.
Beth Sholom was not sure how long the swastikas had been there, Metro West Daily News reported.
Framingham Mayor Yvonne M. Spicer issued a statement on Thursday condemning the incident.
“Of course, this saddens me. Hate has no place in Framingham. Police officers already regularly patrol our temples, and that effort will continue,” said Spicer.
After learning of the hate crime in her city of 72,000 located west of Boston, the mayor reached out to the synagogue and the town’s Jewish community to “express my concern about this hateful act.”
Framingham School Committee Chair Adam Freudberg called the act a “definitive statement of hate and anti-Semitism, and needs to be unanimously condemned and rejected."
Framingham Superintendent of Schools Bob Tremblay stressed that “this is not who we are in Framingham.”
“We are a vibrant and resilient community, and we have no intention of letting someone’s ignorant malice dampen the sweetness of our new year,” said Beth Sholom’s rabbi in a statement. “We are also secure in the knowledge that this does not represent the sentiment of the Framingham community at large. We are proud of our place in this community and we value our relationships with our neighbors of all religions.”
In 2018, the ADL reported that anti-Semitic incidents in Massachusetts were increasing at an alarming rate, with a 42 percent rise in one year.