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Spring Valley – JCC vandalized 7 times


TJN: A Jewish community center on Main Street yesterday was vandalized for the seventh time, police said. During the past two months, vandals have stolen computers and other equipment, destroyed property and left anti-Semitic graffiti, police and building tenants said.The building has been leased to several organizations �- Jewish and non-Jewish �- and had been the longtime home of Yeshiva of Rockland and the Jewish Community Center. The new owner, Bnos Esther Pupa, takes over in September.Sgt. Peter Russell said door windows inside the building were found broken when people came to work yesterday morning. The building was closed Thursday.

“There was no apparent point of entry into the building,” Russell said. “They told us they secured all the doors.”

Russell said doors were left ajar or open prior to previous reported six break-ins. Several times people were found playing basketball inside the gym or outside the building.

He said the building doesn’t have an alarm or security system.

On July 2, the words “Putas Judias” �- Jewish prostitutes �- were found spray-painted on a wall behind the building, Russell said. Another time, a teacher’s desk calendar had the word “Hitler” written on it.

Mona Montel, a tenant in the spacious building for years, said yesterday that the break-ins, thefts and vandalism started “out of the blue seven weeks ago.”

“We’ve been at the same location for 15 to 20 years and never had a problem,” Montel said.

She said the building being targeted by vandals and anti-Semitic acts has been disheartening. Hate language has been written inside and a fake finger and blood were left with a sword and a teacher’s nameplate, she said.

She said rocks have been thrown through windows, thousands of dollars in computers and video equipment have been stolen or damaged, the multimedia center has been trashed and the day camp’s food and supplies have been stolen.

Montel said the police suggested surveillance cameras and other security measures. She said the new owner will deal with those issues.

She said the building is used by religious groups, a day camp and East Ramapo School District for summer programs. The homeowners associations have rented space for their meetings.

“People who are non-religious to religious Hasidic Jewish and non-Jews have been sharing this building harmoniously,” Montel said. “It’s a wonderful thing and very positive.”



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