Red swastikas were spotted on and around two Seattle-area synagogues, Seattle Police and announced on Sunday.
The Seattle Times reports that police have since launched an investigation into the racist vandalism. The swastikas were spray-painted in the Brighton neighborhood of south Seattle, some on the driveway of a synagogue and others in front of private homes in the area.
Eli Varon, vice president of the Sephardic Bikur Holim congregation, said seven swastikas were painted Saturday evening or Sunday morning. One painted swastika was accompanied by the misspelled “4th Riech.”
“We have a choice: do we take this as just another attack and feel like we're victims or do we choose to see it as a spiritual wakeup call,” a congregant told The Seattle Times.
The defacement comes only days before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the first of the Jewish high holidays.
