Graffiti targeting “Zionists” and praising Hamas was found spray-painted on the preschool wing of Temple Israel, a synagogue in Minneapolis, on Tuesday night. The incident happened on the second anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, an event that killed around 1,200 people and sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.
Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, who leads the synagogue, said she learned about the vandalism after a neighbor called to report it. “My first reaction was outrage and pain,” she said. “This doesn’t solve any problem. Blaming American Jews in Minnesota for what’s happening globally is hate speech and antisemitism. It’s not about political disagreement — it’s about hate.”
The graffiti included phrases such as “Watch out Zionists,” “Fuck Zionism,” and “Al-Aqsa Flood,” which is Hamas’ code name for its 2023 attack. There were also 14 red inverted triangles — a symbol used by Hamas’ military wing to mark Israeli targets. The same symbol has appeared on Jewish institutions in other cities since the war began.
Rabbi Zimmerman said the synagogue has reported the incident to the Minneapolis Police Department and shared video footage from security cameras. Authorities have yet to issue a statement on the investigation.
Steve Hunegs, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, described the vandalism as “harrowing.” He said it mimicked the spirit of the October 7 attack and reflected a rise in extreme anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment. “It’s targeted and consciously imitating the mass terrorism of Oct. 7,” Hunegs said. “It doesn’t get much more antisemitic and violent than that, other than the actual perpetration of the horrific acts.”
He added that the timing of the act — on the anniversary of the Hamas attack — made it particularly disturbing. “We’re seeing someone who, in the middle of the night, chose to vandalize a synagogue with the most venomous message possible,” he said. “The perpetrators believe terrorism against Jews is worth celebrating, and they took that message to one of the city’s most iconic synagogues.”
Rabbi Zimmerman said she received messages of support from Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who is Jewish and has previously attended services at Temple Israel. In a post on social media, Mayor Frey condemned the vandalism, saying it was “a reminder that hate still tries to find a foothold” but that it would not find one in Minneapolis.
Zimmerman said the support from community members and leaders has been comforting during a painful time. “People are reaching out, and in that, you feel connection and support,” she said. “It helps not to feel so alone, even though it doesn’t take away the horror of the message.”
Despite the attack, Rabbi Zimmerman emphasized that the synagogue would continue its mission of promoting peace and interfaith understanding. She said she identifies as a proud Zionist but also wants to see an end to the suffering in Gaza. “If you understand the nuance and the complicated realities of the world and see each other as human, you don’t do this,” she said. “It’s disregarding the humanity of others by promoting hate. But it won’t stop us from doing our work — from being proud of being Jewish, from teaching about Israel, and from working for peace.”
