On March 26, the San Diego State Chabad House was vandalized by an unknown person in the early hours of the morning. The menorah was shaken by the perpetrator until the base cracked and broke, toppling to the ground. 

The Chabad House has been the target of a slew of vandalisms in the past three years, with the last menorah vandalized in June 2021. The menorah is a holy and sacred symbol of the Jewish faith and some students say the vandalism is a purposeful, antisemitic attack.

“Very upsetting… It’s really enough,” Rabbi Chalom Boudjnah said in an Instagram post. 

Members of the Jewish community at large are concerned about the uptick in antisemitic attacks as well as Jewish students at SDSU who have been frightened by the proximity of the attack.

“People know that I am a Jew, it is not a part of my identity that I have hidden,” said Aiden Bannon, a junior journalism major. “It scares me sometimes and if it’s so close to me then I fear I could be targeted.”

SDSU has previously spoken out against vandalisms, condemning acts of antisemitism and advocating for Jewish wellness and protection. SDSU has not issued an email statement for this attack.

The menorah remains on the ground as the Chabad House fundraises to build a steel one, additionally fundraising for heightened security measures. Several students view Chabad House as an integral part of Jewish campus life. 

“Having a close Chabad to my campus feels like a second home.” said Mia Shalom, a junior linguistics major. “Raising more awareness on this incident is important so that it can be prevented.”

More information on Chabad House can be found on their website.