Twenty-seven headstones at the Home of Peace Jewish Cemetery in Bakersfield were knocked down on Tuesday, September 30. Some of the headstones in the historic Union Cemetery date back to the 1920s.
Rabbi Jonathan Klein, who has been serving as the rabbi of Temple Beth El for the past five years, said he believes the incident was an act of antisemitism.
“The fact is that only the Jewish section was vandalized,” said Klein.
The Jewish community in Bakersfield is relatively small, with around 250 families. Members of Congregation B’nai Jacob, which owns the Jewish cemetery, were devastated to learn what had happened—a day before Yom Kippur.
“Most of the headstones go back decades, to the 1940s, and one even to the 1920s,” said Klein.
The rabbi, who lives in Los Angeles, travels to Bakersfield every weekend, where he leads the congregation in Shabbat services and holidays.
Although the act of vandalism deeply shook the small Jewish community, there were also touching displays of solidarity.
“Some people volunteered to help restore the tombstones, which is very touching,” said Klein. “The Masons also reached out and said they wanted to help. People have donated money, and one person even offered a $5,000 reward to catch the perpetrator.”
Klein said he plans to help personally and ensure that proper security cameras are installed to deter future acts of vandalism.
