Swastikas and Other Graffiti Again Deface Tujunga Temple

A Tujunga synagogue that has had ongoing problems with vandalism has again been defaced with swastikas and other graffiti, Los Angeles police said Wednesday.

Members of the Verdugo Hills Hebrew Center, in the 10200 block of Tujunga Canyon Boulevard, discovered the markings Tuesday morning, Detective Jim Soles said.

The swastikas and other graffiti were drawn on the north and east sides of the building with a black marker, Soles said. The words, “Have a Nazi Day,” were printed inside a happy face that had been drawn on an arm of one of the swastikas, he said.

Damage was estimated at $100 in cleanup costs and paint. Police have no suspects in the incident.

The synagogue was the target of a series of anti-Semitic attacks last year. In May, 1990, swastikas about four feet square were etched into the doors, and anti-Semitic slurs were scrawled on signs and brass plaques at the temple’s entrance. Earlier that month, bomb threats were received twice at the synagogue, which serves about 85 families in the Sunland-Tujunga area.

In another incident last year, several temple windows were broken, and in 1989 a firebomb was thrown at the temple’s front door, causing about $8,000 in damage, authorities said.

Several leaders of other religions in the area denounced the attacks on the temple as acts of “overt religious hatred.”

“They had a series of problems last year, but all of a sudden those stopped,” Soles said. No one was arrested in the previous incidents.

Soles said the latest vandalism probably is unrelated to the prior attacks.

“This doesn’t appear that it’s a definite attack on . . . the Jewish religion,” Soles said. “No windows were broken, and the writing wasn’t in large letters all over the side of the building.”

But even if the vandals turn out to be pranksters, Soles said, they will be prosecuted. “This is the kind of thing that has to be nipped in the bud,” he said. “Whoever did this will be prosecuted to the fullest.”

Hebrew Center leaders were unavailable for comment.