Full Breakdown
Reform Synagogue Attacked on Rosh Hashanah Amid Rising Hostility
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Incident: Egg-Throwing at Kol HaNeshama
On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, a group of Jewish youths entered the Kol HaNeshama Reform synagogue in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood and threw eggs at congregants arriving for services. Security cameras captured the assailants’ faces; the footage was handed to police and a formal complaint filed. No injuries were reported. The attack follows a break-in a month earlier in which vandals smashed a window, damaged artwork and tore down Pride flags displayed by the congregation.
Background & Context
Kol HaNeshama has been the target of multiple assaults linked to its egalitarian and LGBTQ-inclusive stance. In 2018 a large rock was hurled into its courtyard during Simchat Torah celebrations. In June 2023 the synagogue suffered two break-ins during which Pride flags were removed. The most recent prior incident, a night-time vandalism that shattered a window and destroyed a Pride flag, occurred the month before the egg-throwing. Similar attacks have hit other Reform congregations, including Darchei Noam in Ramat Hasharon, where a heavy paving stone was thrown through a window. These incidents occur amid an ongoing political debate over the status of non-Orthodox Judaism in Israel and legislative moves that would restrict egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall.
Data & Statistics
- Three attacks on Reform communities have been recorded within the past month.
- Two break-ins at Kol HaNeshama were reported in June 2023.
- In 2018 a rock was thrown into the synagogue courtyard during a celebration attended by more than 200 people.
- A photograph of the synagogue building dates to July 8, 2013.
Official Statements & Responses
Rabbi Debi Shoua-Haim described the youths as initially asking “friendly questions” before their tone shifted to remarks she said “bordered on sexual harassment.” She noted that the assailants appeared to be religious Jews who do not accept egalitarian worship. The congregation has increased security for upcoming services, including Shabbat Shuvah and the fast day that follows. Kol HaNeshama’s Facebook post urged police to “swiftly find the perpetrators” and highlighted the lack of municipal response. A coalition of roughly two dozen neighboring congregations, spanning Orthodox and other streams, displayed a joint letter of solidarity at the synagogue’s entrance.
Criticism & Opposition
Rabbi Eli Levin, leader of the Darchei Noam congregation, characterized the pattern of attacks on Reform Jews as being carried out by “hotheaded, ignorant Jews” and lamented the failure of political and Haredi leadership to condemn the acts.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police have not publicly identified any suspects in either the egg-throwing or the earlier vandalism, and the municipality has not issued a response to the congregation’s appeals. The Israel Police declined to comment on the status of the investigations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We see this as an escalation,” — Debi Shoua-Haim
- “We would have preferred to keep our doors open to anyone who wanted to come in,” — Debi Shoua-Haim
- “The attacks on Reform Jews are carried out by hotheaded, ignorant Jews, and unfortunately there is no one in the political and haredi leadership who will stand up and condemn the act,” — Rabbi Eli Levin
- “And when there is no enforcement, violence grows.” — Kol HaNeshama