Unidentified individuals spray-painted swastikas and antisemitic graffiti on the Zion Synagogue in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, over the weekend, according to local Jewish community leaders.
Police have opened an investigation into the incident, but no suspects have been taken into custody so far. Authorities were notified shortly after the vandalism was discovered at the end of Shabbat.
In a statement, the leadership of the Organisation of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom”, together with representatives of the local Jewish community in Plovdiv, condemned the act and expressed hope that law enforcement authorities would take all necessary measures to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
“Once again, we are witnessing how antisemitic rhetoric and stereotypes are gradually transforming into acts driven by hatred,” said Dr Alina Levi, president of the Organisation of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom.”
“These acts are not only a problem for the Jewish community, but for Bulgarian society as a whole. We can clean the graffiti, but together we must cleanse the hatred from within ourselves.”
The Zion Synagogue of Plovdiv is one of the city’s most significant historical landmarks. Built in the 19th century atop the foundations of an earlier synagogue constructed in 1711, the building features an ornate wooden Torah ark and richly decorated frescoes.
Plovdiv itself has a long and continuous Jewish presence. Archaeological remains of an even earlier synagogue, dating back to the late third century CE, were discovered in the 1980s during the construction of a residential building. Its mosaics are now preserved at the city’s archaeology museum.
At the time that ancient synagogue was built, Plovdiv was known as Philippopolis, a major urban and commercial centre along the trade routes linking Constantinople with the rest of Europe.
Jewish community leaders stressed that while the physical damage can be repaired, confronting antisemitism requires sustained action and responsibility from society as a whole.
