The residents of Carmel, Indiana, decided to show their solidarity with the synagogue that was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti on July 28.
Congregation Shaarey Tefila was laced with a Nazi flag two iron crosses that morning; Shabbat services proceeded as normal. An investigation is still ongoing.
In the meantime, the synagogue continues to gain support in the midst of the incident, with the latest being billboards depicting the following:
https://twitter.com/StateStatus_IN/status/1025154904153829377
There are total of 12 such billboards across the state.
Chris Iverson, vice president and general manager of Lamar Advertising, told WISH TV that they, as well as Outfront Media and Fairway Outdoor Advertising, put up the billboards in order to send “a positive message” to the synagogue.
“We have their back,” Iverson said. “We love them and we want to promote that sense of tolerance that was a horrible act. We don’t tolerate it and this is our way of shoring our support for them.”
Additionally, hundreds of people of varying religious affiliations gathered at Shaarey Tefila on July 30 to show their support for the synagogue in the aftermath of the vandalism; WFYI described it as being “standing room only.” A GoFundMe page was started on July 31 to help Shaarey Tefila “respond, recover, and restore our property as a result of the graffiti incident.” As of publication time $1,633 had been donated to the page; the synagogue is hoping to reach a goal of $15,000.
“Right now, I want to see it just as vandalism,” Shaarey Tefila President Corey Freedman told WISH TV. “I want the individuals to know that it hurt. But, it doesn’t sting and it doesn’t stay forever.”
