Anti-Semitic graffiti appeared early Wednesday on the side of a Chicago synagogue and school, police said.
"This is evil," said Sr. Rabbi Michael Siegel.
The graffiti included the remarks "Kill & Rape Jews" on two buildings and sidewalks.
Surveillance video from Anshe Emet Synagogue and Day School, at 3751 N. Broadway, shows what appears to be a female spray-painting offensive graffiti onto the brick exterior of the K-8th grade school and synagogue, said Anshe Emet Synagogu executive director Bob Krakowsky. Video also captured a passerby, whom authorites hope will come forward.
The graffiti was covered before students arrived, but school officials said this will be a lesson for students.
"Words lead to actions," Siegel said. "Words do matter."
Siegel said concerns are elevated following the recent rampage at a Jewish school in France. "We'll walk tall but be more weary," Siegel said, adding "we are not going to cower in fear."
The American Jewish Committee expressed sadness in a statement released Wednesday and called the pre-Passover graffiti “a sad reminder of the persistence of anti-Semitism.”
“The words 'Jews murder' and 'Jews kill' are particularly galling given last week’s murder of four French Jews by an attacker claiming to be motivated by events in the Middle East," said AJC Chicago Director Dan Elbaum. "All words have consequences, and we should keep that in mind as we call upon all people of good faith to speak out against the vandalism.”
