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http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/01/31/venezuela.synagogue/

Was the Venezuela Synagogue Attack a New Kristallnacht?

01 Feb 2009 11:39 am

I don't think so. But Abe Foxman does. The national director of the Anti-Defamation League had this to say about the defiling of a Caracas synaogue, in which Torahs were desecrated but no one was hurt:

Just days after the international community commemorated the Holocaust in ceremonies of remembrance throughout the world, a synagogue in Caracas was the scene of a modern day Kristallnacht.  For five hours, violent anti-Semites profaned and vandalized the most sacred space and objects of Jewish life, leaving behind graffiti that said "Get out," "Death to All," and "Damn Israel, Death."  This violent attack occurring on the Jewish Sabbath is reminiscent of the darkest days leading to the Shoah, when Jews were attacked and synagogues and Torahs vandalized and destroyed under the guard of the Nazi regime.

I respect Abe Foxman, but this is a bit much. Jews tend not to like it when people such as Pat Buchanan compare Israel to the Nazis, or when Europeans call Gaza a concentration camp. Israel isn't Germany, and Gaza isn't a concentration camp. And what happened in Venezuela the other day wasn't Kristallnacht. It doesn't take anything away from the horror of the event to say that. Let's save the Nazi analogies for the really big things, no?

Venezuela Synagogues Sprayed "Death to Jews"

Sean Pen was not found for response. Chavez still a "great man" in his book.

"We don't want Jews here" and "Jews get out" were the slogans daubed on a Caracas synagogue's walls Saturday.

 ...

"We found the guard on the floor, he had been threatened with a gun," Bitan said. "Until 3 am they destroyed the offices, opened the Ark of the Covenant, and threw the Torah books on the floor." 
He said the Jewish community had filed an official complaint with the police. "This is a very complicated situation for the Jews in Venezuela. The slogans were not against Israel but against the Jews," he said. 

Bitan added that the community has been troubled by numerous anti-Semitic acts over recent years, and a spokesman for the Federation of Jewish Communities in Venezuela, Daniel Ben-Naim, said the incident testified to the increasing hatred of Jews in the country. 

"We've never had such an incident. It looks well-planned," he said. "We were afraid something like this would happen. The official press was becoming more and more anti-Israeli and anti-Jews. There are hundreds of anti-Semitic articles, ads, and fliers." 
An Israeli residing in Caracas said images from the ravaged synagogue had been displayed in the local media. He said he had seen that another slogan, "Death to the Jews", was also sprayed in the synagogue. 
Rest Here...

In case you are wondering if this has anything to do with Islam - Venezuella is a close ally of Iran and a supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah. They have recently cut off ties with Israel. They have a growing Lebanese Shiite community in the country encouraged by the deranged communist in charge. Sean Penn still not found for response on his "Chavez is a great man" comment.