(LATEST UPDATE: As of Sunday morning, June at 11:30AM: After review of local video footage, it appears that this was an act of vandalism by local kids and it is being investigated further.)

Congregation Shaare Tefillah, in Teaneck near the center of the township, was filled with police responders last night as multiple small rocks were found to have cracked stained glass windows in the synagogue’s sanctuary. Some panels were broken.

The incident occured during Shabbat in the afternoon when the building was empty, sometime between the conclusion of the afternoon parsha shiur (weekly Bible study) and maariv (evening prayers). 

Security camera footage was being reviewed Saturday evening and Sunday morning. It has, so far, been inconclusive. 

“The patrol on the scene was excellent. They spent hours here, and copies of the [security camera] video are being made for detectives,” said Mark (Mendy) Schwartz, Teaneck’s deputy mayor and a member of the synagogue. [Schwartz is also co-publisher of The Jewish Link.] Councilwoman Karen Orgen, an organizer of last Sunday’s Unite for Israel Parade and Concert, is also a member and former co-president of the synagogue. 

In an email to synagogue members Sunday morning, shul president Elliot Bernstein made the following statement: “We are very fortunate that no one was hurt and are extremely grateful for CSS and our security guard for keeping us safe in shul. We are confident that with the enhanced security measures undertaken earlier this year, we will continue to keep everyone safe,” he wrote.