SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Jewish community in Santa Fe spent Thursday picking up the pieces of their broken menorah. It was an ice sculpture to celebrate Hanukah that was placed on display on the historic plaza just two days ago.
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Sounds of drills and fusing ice is how the Santa Fe Jewish Center kicked off its celebration of Hanukah earlier this week with the main attraction being an ice menorah to light every night of the eight-day holiday until January 2. A sculptor from Albuquerque put the five-foot-tall creation together at the Santa Fe Plaza. “A nice crowd gathered to see it, to witness it, to see how she put the final touches on the menorah,” said Rabbi Berel Levertov, head rabbi at the Santa Fe Jewish Center Chabad.
Rabbi Levertov candled that menorah the first night only to find it broken the very next morning. A tent covered the ice sculpture to block the sun but that wasn’t enough. “All the pieces where there were chunks so it didn’t melt down. It looks like it was pushed over,” Levertov said.
Levertov said he hoped it wasn’t out of malicious intent but instead an accident. “It’s concerning I don’t know who did it, I don’t know why they would do it. I’m hoping it wasn’t that intentional, I’m hoping someone tried to touch it maybe and knock it over,” said Levertov.
But it won’t deter them from continuing their 26 year tradition on the plaza. Levertov said in the meantime they will light their already existing chili menorah at least until they can get another ice sculpture made. “Its gonna be a bigger, bulkier, a little bit further away from the walkway, and a little more secure,” Levertov said.
The center filed a police report and wanted to see if there is any surveillance video showing what happened. The rabbi said he wants the person to step forward and help them rebuild a new piece.
He stayed positive about his community. “Although there are many pockets of the world that have much antisemitism, so far in Santa Fe, we’re secure, people are tolerant, people are welcoming,” said Levertov.
The Santa Fe Police Department said they are currently investigating the incident as criminal damage and have no suspects so far. They also noted that, apart from the broken menorah, there was no evidence of anti-Semitism.
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