April 22, 2025 – Tucson, Arizona
Members of Chabad Tucson–Young Israel in Tucson, Arizona, were shocked to discover antisemitic graffiti defacing the exterior wall of their synagogue early Tuesday morning.
Congregants arriving for morning services found purple spray-painted hate speech on the side of the historic building, located at the corner of East 4th Street and Tucson Boulevard.
The graffiti was scrawled directly beneath a large Star of David—a widely recognized symbol of the Jewish faith. It read: "End Apartheid" and "Abolish Israel."
"This is deeply concerning," said Rabbi Yossie Shemtov, Executive Director of Chabad Tucson and spiritual leader of the synagogue. "How do you call for ending supposed discrimination in the same sentence as promoting genocide?"
Rabbi Shemtov, Tucson's longest-serving rabbi, has led the congregation since 1984. The building was originally constructed in 1948 as Congregation Young Israel, Arizona's first Orthodox Jewish synagogue. It later merged with Chabad Tucson.
According to Associate Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin, this is the second time in three years that antisemitic vandals have targeted a Chabad center in Tucson.
"The previous incident occurred on Monday, June 7, 2021, when a man broke into our branch, Chabad on River, and painted a swastika and an anti-Jewish slur on the door," Rabbi Ceitlin said.
"We must send a clear message that, whatever your political views are about a conflict in the Middle East, that does not give you the right to spread hate here and target the Jewish community," he added.
Chabad operates 5 centers across Southern Arizona and the Lamplighter Chabad Day School of Tucson. "Our mission is to help people live a life of meaning, and we will not be deterred by such hateful denigration," Rabbi Ceitlin stated.
In response to this act of hate, Chabad Tucson urges the public to rise above by increasing in mitzvot and engaging in acts of goodness and kindness, spreading light in the face of darkness. The wall will be repainted today (Tuesday) at 4:30 PM.
The Tucson Police Department has been notified and is currently investigating the incident.
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To help cover the damages and add security, visit: ChabadTucson.com/SecurityFund