Hate crime mars Chanukah
By ALAN SMASON
Four vehicles belonging to the Chabad Center of Metairie and its members had their tires punctured by an ice pick or screwdriver in what they called a deliberate “hate crime” on Shabbat. Although the deputy who responded to the incident seemed to be in agreement that it fit the description of a hate crime, the Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate the matter and will not make a public comment on it for several more days.
A Chanukah menorah similar to this was atop one of the four vehicles vandalized in Metairie this past Friday night or early Saturday morning. (Photo by Alan Smason)
The unmarked white van used by Chabad Rabbi Yossie Nemes and his personal vehicle – both parked in the Nemes home driveway – and a smaller vehicle also owned by the center for its youth directors that was parked in front of the Nemes home had all but two of their tires punctured.
In addition a personal vehicle owned by Nemes’ son-in-law Rabbi Mendel Ceitlin, which was parked in a lot adjacent to the Nemes home, had three of its tires punctured. In all 13 tires were ruined.
The Nemes home is located in the 4500 block of Lake Villa Drive a block away from the Gerson Katz Chabad Center of Metairie at the intersection of Lake Villa Drive and West Esplanade Avenue.
In preparation for the annual Chabad street parade being staged Sunday night in Orleans Parish, one of the vehicles had a metal Chanukah menorah fixed atop the vehicle that read “CHABAD of LOUISIANA WISHES YOU A HAPPY CHANUKAH.”
Neighbors who awoke on Saturday alerted the Nemes family by knocking on their door. A Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy, who responded to the call from the neighbors, allegedly labeled the incident a “hate crime” in her report, according to Nemes. When contacted by the CCJN on December 2, public information officer Col. John Fortunato declined to make a further statement until detectives could complete their investigation. He said part of that investigation might include any video documentation taken by area cameras and that he would not have a statement ready until tomorrow, December 5.
Aside from the stabbed tires, no other vandalism was detected. The cost of tire replacement was estimated by Nemes at about $2,000.
Cost aside, the incident was troubling to Nemes. He recalled a similar tire-slashing incident following Hurricane Katrina, but that vandalism was much more indiscriminate because the vehicles of his non-Jewish neighbors were also targeted. Nemes said he could not recall any similar hate crime, even during the years when neo-Nazi and Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke served as a state representative from Metairie.
“In 23 years of living here, we’ve never had an anti-Semitic act ,” Nemes said Sunday night, following the street parade. “We hope the entire community will get behind us and show their support with us on Tuesday night.”
Nemes was referring to the the Chanukah Menorah lighting ceremony taking place tonight in front of Dillards department store at Lakeside Shopping Center. The celebration with games for the kids and a traditional jazz band begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Chanukah menorah lighting to follow at 6:15.
With the exception of the four tires on the Chabad van, all of the punctured tires were replaced and the vehicles took part in the Sunday night street parade, which began and ended at the Chabad House on Freret Street. Nemes was expected to repair the van by today.
