JERUSALEM, Reuter: Vandals ransacked a Jerusalem Synagogue today, ripping apart holy torah scroll and throwing prayer books on the floor, but police said it was doubtful the attack was carried out by antireligious extremists.
The incident was the first of its kind since tensions between nonorthodox and devout Israeli Jews erupted into violence two months ago.
The Synagogue, affiliated to the New York based ultraorthodox Lubavitcher sect, is situated near a mental hospital; police said one of its patients might have rampaged through the holy place.
The likelihood (the attack) stemmed from secular religious tensions is low since things have been quiet lately, said Jerusalem police chief Chaim Albades. But this point will also be examined.
In June, antireligious militants rampaged through a Jewish seminary and set fire to a Synagogue in Tel Aviv. They left behind messages saying they were retaliating for the destruction of orthodox extremists of bus stations that displayed advertisements of women in skimpy swimsuits.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 15, 1986
