Members of the San Diego Jewish community are on alert while San Diego police investigate a possible hate crime in the College Area.
The antisemitic attack happened within blocks of the Chabad House at San Diego State University when an older Jewish man was physically and verbally assaulted.
Attacks on the Chabad House at San Diego State University
Friends of the man who was attacked told NBC 7 he walks through the area frequently and now, he’s scared to leave his house.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Police could only confirm they’re investigating the incident, but a press release from a Jewish resource hub nearby reads:
“Today's distressing incident involved a physical and verbal assault on a member of our community. The attacker ripped his tzitzit, a traditional Jewish garment, and uttered anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slurs.”
The press release goes on to remind the community about another hate crime that happened in March when vandals targeted a sacred menorah.
NBC 7 covered it when the same menorah was targeted in 2017.
At that time, multiple witnesses told NBC 7 a group of men damaged the menorah by using one of its lower arms as a pull up bar.
One witness could hear the group talking about a scavenger hunt and asking people to take pictures of them in front of the menorah as proof they were there.
The community is rebuilding a bigger and stronger menorah. It will cost about $40,000 and it will stand 20 feet high and 14 feet wide.
Construction is set to be complete by the middle of September.
The menorah is donor-funded and will be made of titanium. The community wanted something strong to protect it from being destroyed in the future, but also to symbolize the Jewish community’s strength.
