Several headstones were vandalized Monday at the Jewish cemetery in Zemun, a suburb of Belgrade, Serbia. Among those buried at the cemetery are the grandparents of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism.
This is the second incident in recent weeks involving the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in Serbia. Local police have launched an investigation following a formal complaint filed by the head of the country’s Jewish community. Last month, vandals responsible for a previous attack were apprehended and charged.
Serbia’s Jewish community, which survived the Holocaust, the Yugoslav wars, and decades of regional turmoil, numbers around 3,000 people today, most of whom reside in the capital.
France: Prominent rabbi assaulted in Normandy
In a separate incident, Rabbi Eli Lemel, a well-known figure in French Jewry, was assaulted Friday afternoon in the town of Deauville, located in the Normandy region.
“I’m deeply moved by the outpouring of support following the attack,” Lemel wrote in a message shared on social media. “Thank God, I’m okay. I was struck and verbally abused in a language I didn’t understand.” He called on the Jewish community to find spiritual strength in the face of rising hostility.
Attempted arson at French synagogue
Also in France, a 21-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after attempting to set fire to an Israeli flag displayed on the façade of a synagogue in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, in the Yvelines department.
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A witness filmed the incident on a mobile phone, showing the suspect climbing the synagogue, repeatedly tearing down the flag, and eventually trying to ignite it. Police detained five individuals seen in the video, but only one, already known to authorities for prior offenses, was found to be actively involved.
The suspect was arrested hours later in the nearby town of Poissy while reportedly intoxicated. He gave no clear explanation for his actions.
Police have opened an investigation on suspicion of ideologically motivated damage to a place of worship. The local Jewish community expressed concern, viewing the attack as part of a broader rise in tensions targeting Jewish institutions across France.