ANT KATZ

Symbol of hatred 

In a blog post on the Reconstructionist congregation’s website, Rabbi Seth Goldstein wrote: “A swastika is not mere vandalism – it is a symbol of hatred with deep resonance with Jews, and shakes us to our core, especially in a community in which we are constantly reminded of our minority status.”

Goldstein, who has been at the temple for 13 years, told local newspaper The Olympian that the congregation had been vandalised before, but this was the first time he knew of that vandals hadused a swastika.

He said people from the state capital’s other houses of worship had offered their support since learning of the incident.

In his blog post, Goldstein wrote that “in the face of hatred, we must continue to do what we always do: to live our lives as Jews out loud and in meaningful ways, to commit ourselves to our Jewish community and to Jewish continuity, to engage with our greater community, to perform acts of social justice and to stand up for those who are similarly oppressed. It is in this way that those who seek to marginalize us, those who seek to threaten us, those who seek to inspire fear in us will not succeed.”