Love Outshines Hate At Orange County Synagogue

IRVINE, CA — The slash of bright red graffiti on the exterior walls of Irvine's Beth Jacob Synagogue was a startling reminder of the shooting in Pittsburgh that claimed the lives of many in late October. Now, people from across the world are looking to show their solidarity with the Jewish community through financial, spiritual and physical support.

In the early morning of Oct. 30, the synagogue was tagged with racial slurs. While the police investigated the crime, community members showed up to give support through prayers, dropping off flowers, "and most importantly asking what they can do to help," Beth Jacob Synagogue's president Allen Berezovsky told Patch.

"When people want to help, it shows the world that love always outshines hate, and it brings us all closer together," he said.

Now more than ever, the Beth Jacob Irvine Community needs assistance in the form of security. A GoFundMe website was established for that purpose, raising nearly $7,000 in the first 24 hours.

"We wanted to give people an opportunity to do something out of love and at the same time help us fund a security guard to protect our campus," he said. While hateful words are a far cry from physical assault, this is not the first time the Beth Jacob community has experienced threats.

"This is the second targeted attack on our synagogue in the past six months," he said. "In April, a suspect was arrested after making a 'kill list' specifically targeting our synagogue. Ammunition and the means of perpetrating a deadly attack were discovered in his home."

The Beth Jacob synagogue plays a central role in the lives of many in the Orange County Jewish community.

"It houses a preschool to more than 30 beautiful children," he said. "It is a house of worship to more than 200 families. It is a house of study for all those interested in learning. It is a social center for community members of all ages. We are a community defined by love, openness and understanding."

That support is pouring in at a time when many in the Jewish community are lost and scared. But, according to Berezovsky, that love and support from all over the globe, and from all faiths and creeds, outshines the darkness of fear.

"We stand as one in defiance of those who seek to divide," he said. "We stand tall and proud in defiance of those who seek to impose fear."

Related : Beth Jacob Synagogue Vandalized Overnight

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner; Photo courtesy GoFundMe