Synagogues Vandalized, Robbed in Queens, Staten Island, Long Island

Over the past week, temples in the NYC area have been vandalized. In Staten Island, swastikas were spray-painted on a Bay Terrace synagogue; there is a $13,000 reward for information leading to a suspect's arrest and conviction. At a Dix Hills, Long Island synagogue, the word "JEWS" was spray-painted on the exterior on Saturday. And also on Saturday, torahs were stolen from a Queens synagogue--the suspect had access to keys and was able to disarm the alarm. The Queens Jewish Center hopes for the safe return of the torahs, which are worth $500,000.

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By Jen Chung in News on August 18, 2008 9:36 AM

Comments [rss]

dadoc

And when you take a $500K Torah to the local pawn shop or scrap dealer, after defeating alarm systems, etc. in something that does not qualify as the usual "smash & grab", you get, Bupkus maybe?

What is the secondary stolen Torah market anyway? Kinda specialty market, collectors, extortionists, insurance fraudsters? Methinks the gravas is starting to whiff a bit.

& Future Taliban, forget the offer, They always nail you on shipping & handling, & the recurring delivery. But the steak knives are kinds cool.

gregorsamsa77

@TSOL

A torah scroll is handwritten by a sofer (scribe) in a byzantine process that can take more than an year. A brand new torah scroll can cost $100,000. An older scroll with historic significance can be priceless. So the price is no bullshit - it is an expensive artifact due to the amount of labor that goes into producing it.

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sefer_torah

Future Taliban

"The Queens Jewish Center hopes for the safe return of the torahs, which are worth $500,000"

Go see Levi Shaumberg he can hook you up with the same quality Torahs for only $5.59 each. Act now and get a free menorah ..while supplies last!

Future Taliban

"The Queens Jewish Center hopes for the safe return of the torahs, which are worth $500,000"

Go see Levi Shaumberg he can hook you up with the same quality Torahs for only $5.59 each. Act now and get a free menorah ..while supplies last!

tsol

"The Queens Jewish Center hopes for the safe return of the torahs, which are worth $500,000."

To who? I guess that they're not valued for their, you know, RELIGIOUS significance or anything.

The Man Bat

Inside job, "false flag" events.....the boys from Tel Aviv know what they are doing. You don't get to be "chosen" for nothing ya know?

The Man Bat

Inside job, "false flag" events.....the boys from Tel Aviv know what they are doing. You don't get to be "chosen" for nothing ya know?

Snoopy

One must be pretty stupid to steal torahs. They are very unique and if the word is out, who would buy them?

suepart

inside job is always a possibility in hate crimes, and insurance fraud is the number one reason for the perpetration of such instances.

Sinchy

Inside job with diversionary anti-semitism?

abzme

I hate this so much. What in the world does this accomplish? In the most multi-ethnic city in the world you're going to commit hate crimes?

I hope the vandalism is cleaned up asap and the torahs are found a returned without damage.

robingee

"JEWS" - good one, vandal.

interlard

Obviously this is disgraceful, but there's something telling about a person writing "JEWS" on a synagogue. Would anyone else write "CHRISTIANS" on a church? Or "CANDY" on a store?