26 December 2008 - Harvard Menorah Vandalized

This afternoon, while walking through town, I discovered that the menorah (chanukiah) displayed every year by Harvard Chabad on Cambridge Common had been vandalized:


One of the branches was broken, and six of the eight light bulbs (the ninth had not yet been mounted, apparently) had been smashed:


In addition, the entire structure had been tilted, and the electricity wires had been cut:


This is apparently not the first time the display has been vandalized. According to the rabbi's wife, the "Happy Chanukah" signs around the menorah have been torn up every night this week.

Harvard and Cambridge consider themselves beacons of tolerance, yet this destructive and apparently antisemitic act happened in the open, a stone's throw away from campus.

If you have information about the attack, please call the Cambridge police at (617) 349-3300.

The light of hope will not be extinguished.