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Tacony Synagogue Vandalism Takes Center Stage At Town Watch Meeting

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Residents and authorities gathered in Tacony Thursday night to talk safety after a neighborhood synagogue was vandalized twice recently.

Rocks were thrown through windows at Temple Menorah Keneseth Chai on Tyson Avenue on December 2nd and last Friday night.

Ellen Deboeser with the Tacony Town Watch group says neighbors are worried and for good reason:

"The synagogue has been vandalized which is very tragic."

Both incidents happened close to when services were getting underway.

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"The community is just concerned," says Deboeser, "and I know our police are concerned because we all love Tacony. The community really protects the beautiful things that we have."

Synagogue president Malcolm Adler calls town watch meetings like this important as police continue their investigation:

"It's critical. We communicate with one another. Everyone's on the same page. I hope that we develop good relationships with our neighbors and other houses of worship."

The synagogue and police are still looking for answers. Adler hopes the Tacony residents can help:

"Communicate with one another and talk about what has happened with us and see if it happened at other places and increase the communication in the community."

One of the solutions discussed in the meeting: strengthening the neighborhood patrol.

"I hope that we can gear up, get the word out, have their eyes and ears open, making phone calls to the Philadelphia police," says Deboeser.

District police officers also attended the meeting, calling the synagogue incidents "deeply disturbing."

They say car thefts are another major problem lately in the area.

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