{"id":266297,"date":"2026-08-16T07:16:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T07:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/266297\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T07:16:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T07:16:18","slug":"jewish-museum-in-philadelphia-vandalized-for-second-time-in-a-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/266297\/","title":{"rendered":"Jewish Museum in Philadelphia Vandalized for Second Time in a Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

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PHILADELPHIA (VINnews) \u2014 The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History was vandalized for the second time in a year, renewing concerns among Jewish leaders as antisemitic incidents continue.<\/p>\n


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Philadelphia police said a man wrote an antisemitic message on the OY\/YO sculpture outside the Old City museum shortly before 8:15 p.m. Thursday. The graffiti has been removed, but community leaders said the impact extends beyond physical damage.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia was vandalized with an antisemitic inscription, marking the second time the institution has been targeted within a year. pic.twitter.com\/ug9flzsR23<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Matt Robinson (@mattrobinson) August 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the repeated targeting of the museum reflects a troubling trend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is incredibly frustrating, but unfortunately not surprising,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

State Rep. Tarik Khan reported the incident to police.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just turned my stomach,\u201d he said. \u201cWhether you\u2019re Jewish or not, I think people realize that we must stand out against hate in our community. We can\u2019t tolerate hate, and when we see something that\u2019s wrong, we have to stand up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly one year ago, a suspect spray-painted the museum\u2019s facade, plaza and an Israeli flag.<\/p>\n

Goretsky said the broader rise in vandalism is alarming. He noted that Pennsylvania recorded 80 incidents of vandalism in 2025, compared with 29 in 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a Jewish community, we are not going to hide who we are, and we are going to continue to survive and thrive despite these targeted attacks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Goretsky outlined three steps he believes are essential to combating hate: leaders must speak out and condemn the behavior, individuals must report incidents rather than sit on the sidelines, and people must educate themselves against disinformation and misinformation.<\/p>\n

Police said they have surveillance footage of the suspect committing the vandalism and later boarding a train at a nearby station. Anyone with information is asked to contact authorities.<\/p>\n

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