Torah scroll (archive)
Torah scroll (archive)iStock

Vandals broke into a fraternity house in Washington DC over the weekend, trashing Jewish holy books, including a Torah scroll, a watchdog group said.

The break-in occurred at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity’s George Washington University chapter Sunday, Hatchet, the university’s student newspaper reported.

The Jewish on Campus group tweeted that during the break-in, a Torah scroll was destroyed. The group also released a picture of the scroll, which was not only torn up but also covered in laundry detergent.

“We are horrified to hear that a predominately Jewish fraternity at George Washington University was broken into and vandalized. Their Torah was destroyed.”

University president Thomas LeBlanc condemned the incident and said the school is working with local police.

“I am appalled by the antisemitic vandalism that occurred at the TKE fraternity house, especially the desecration of the Torah scroll.”

“This is a deeply disturbing incident, and our GW Police Department is working with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to find the perpetrators.”

“I want to be clear: I condemn all such acts of antisemitism and all forms of hatred, discrimination, and bias in our community. Any act of antisemitism is an attack on the entire GW community and cannot, and will not, be tolerated.”