American Flag Desecration at Synagogue Under Investigation

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Police Department is investigating a troubling discovery made at Congregation Schaarai Zedek over the weekend. A desecrated American flag, with an anti-Semitic message scrawled on it, was found outside the synagogue’s walls Saturday afternoon.

Police have not been able to locate any video that might point to a suspect, the agency wrote in a Monday email to media. At this point, there are no suspects.

A picture of the flag was taken by authorities, but it is not being released at this time.

Congregation Schaarai Zedek is located at 3303 W. Swann Ave. The Reform Jewish congregation traces its roots to Oct. 14, 1894, when 31 men and women met in a home to form Tampa’s first synagogue, according to its website. Groundbreaking for the current temple was held on Jan. 26,1957, with the synagogue now serving more than 3,000 people.

Rabbi Richard Birnholz told the Tampa Bay Times the messenger seemed to blame Jews for what he or she perceives to be a biased media and a dangerous open-border immigration policy. The Times quoted Birnholz as saying the congregation is not happy.

“Jews have been accused of all kinds of things through the ages, and just as in the past, we certainly are not responsible for whatever someone feels are this nation’s ills,” the paper quoted him as saying.

Tampa Police are releasing no further information about the case as of this time.

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