Blacksburg Jewish Community Center sign vandalized

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - The Blacksburg Jewish Community Center is looking for answers after it’s sign was vandalized.

“Somebody, a racist Anti-Semite came and defaced the sign for our building” President of the BJCC Eric Hallerman said.

Hallerman believes this was done intentionally.

“This is wrong and you should be ashamed of yourselves,” he said. “God created all of us. He loves all of us. He wants us all to live together in peace. You guys desecrated a holy place.”

Instead of focusing on the damage, the center is focusing on moving forward and the community’s support is a big help.

“When we’re seeing that the community is rallying behind us, it’s actually a very heartening moment,” Hallerman said. “It’s very positive and it reaffirms the notion that we belong to this community and this is a place we like to call our home.”

Kevin Altizer owns Signarama in Christiansburg and says as soon as he heard about the vandalism, he took matters into his own hands.

“This is different,” he said. “Usually it’s about a three day turnaround, but this time we’re doing one [day].”

His shop is making a new sign for the center free of charge.

“Didn’t like what I saw so we had the means and ability to help out so we stepped up,” Altizer said.

“There’s a few hateful individuals,” Hallerman said. “There’s no room for them here. If I were to ever find the person that did this, [I’d say] ‘you have to change your attitude. You don’t belong in this community, get it right.’”

The Blacksburg Police Department says this is an active investigation and can not comment on the situation.

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