Jerusalem Reform synagogue vandalized over Shabbat: ‘Won’t dim our light’

The Kol HaNeshama synagogue in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood, a prominent center for Reform Judaism, was vandalized during Shabbat. According to the congregation, a group of individuals breached the grounds, broke a window, and entered the main sanctuary, where they tore down a Pride flag and damaged a work of art. Rabbi Debi Shoua-Haim stated that no congregants were present during the attack, which security footage captured at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Saturday. Israeli police confirmed they have launched an investigation into the incident. Kol HaNeshama, which previously experienced similar vandalism in 2023, stated that such violence would not dim their light. MK Gilad Kariv, a Reform rabbi, condemned the attack as the result of incitement against liberal Jewish denominations and noted the timing of the incident alongside a similar attack on a major Reform synagogue in Manhattan.