Christian crosses and the words "Hitler is the messiah, long live Jesus" were spray-painted Monday on the walls of the Pahad Yitzhak synagogue in Eilat.
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Worshippers decided to guard the shul until the perpetrators are caught.
Yosef Shofen, the synagogue's manager, told Ynet: "Last night at around 10 pm I arrived at the synagogue after being notified that a group of some 25 teenagers had gathered around the building. They were sitting, shirtless, and were drinking alcohol. I asked them to leave but they refused."
Crosses on synagogue (Photo: Yossi Dosesantos)
Shofen said he was therefore not surprised to find the hate slogans and crucifixes on the synagogues walls when he arrived there at 6 pm Monday evening.
"What I read yesterday about the arrest
of the neo-Nazi youths prompted me to believe that there was an escalating phenomenon among those who want to revive Hitler," he said. "Apparently these teens, almost every night, gather on our synagogue's grounds."
One worshipper, a Holocaust survivor, shed a tear after seeing the Nazi slogans on the walls.
"It was difficult to witness the survivor's reaction; it was as though he had gone back in time," Shofen said.
About a year ago a number of youths were apprehended after they spray-painted swastikas on tombstones at a cemetery in Eilat.
In light of the recent events the Education Ministry has instructed schools all across the country to dedicate next week's schedule to the Holocaust and fascism.
As part of the activity, students will be shown the movie "The Wave," a true story about an American teacher who conducted a social experiment on mob psychology and group pressure.
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