When you think of observant Judaism, San Antonio, Texas may not spring immediately to mind. Yet in north-central part of the City there is a Jewish community large and vibrant enough to support two orthodox synagogues.

One, as is found in nearly every viable location on Earth, is a Chabad Lubavitch shul. Indeed, theirs is so strong that they have no less than THREE shaliach couples (Rabbis and their indispensable wives).

A couple of miles to the West, is a bit of a fixture in San Antonio: Congregation Rodfei Sholom.

Rodfei Sholom, affiliated with the Rabbinical Council of America / Orthodox Union, serves a congregation of over three hundred families, from a wide variety of backgrounds, from orthodox to reform. Their Rabbi is Aryeh Scheinberg.

Rabbi Scheinberg, classically trained in a Brooklyn yeshiva, has spent the last thirty years building a reputation for integrity, blended with inclusiveness and tolerance. The latter aspects, although always valuable, are crucial in communities where Jews are few and yiddishkeit difficult.

Although raising eyebrows along the way, Rabbi Scheinberg has built Rodfei Shalom into an integral and valued part of the larger community.

On Wednesday August 12th, congregants filed out from early morning Shacharit services, to find that not everyone in San Antonio was a “Pursuer of Peace” (as the Rodfei Sholom translates from Hebrew). Someone had spray painted swastikas and racist sentiments on the synagogue, neighboring homes, cars, fences. One of the cars also had the window glass shattered. Over thirty locations in all.

The local police began their investigation, soon joined due to the “Hate Crime” aspect, by the FBI, who has recently added a $5, 000.00 reward for the capture and conviction of the culprit. Then the reward was doubled.  Reportedly, they have their eye on one particular person who resides in the area.

Most noteworthy was the immediate and strong response of the internationally known Pastor John Hagee, who roundly condemned the act, and underlined his long-standing support. Pastor Hagee, of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, was quickly joined by a wide variety of political and social leaders in condemning the acts and calling for swift justice.

These kinds of acts, usually perpetrated by some defective goober, rarely precipitate into violence against people. Like the numerous KKK or Neo-Nazi “Rallys” where maybe three or four rather sad characters turn up to a city park in their clapped out AMC Gremlin, to wave flags, march about, and annoy several hundred counter-protesters for the TV cameras, only to return to obscurity, this racist graffiti and mischief likely portends nothing.

Still, when the real violence happens, the perpetrators were usually among the participants in the lesser crimes, or the “rallys”. So, it is wise to keep an eye peeled.

I am not a fan of the idea “Hate Crimes”. If they do catch the culprit, I would much rather he or she be compelled to make full and personal restitution, in a very public way, to each and every victim.

Who knows, doing so might save the idiot from a path leading to a determined Jew defending his home and family with a shotgun.

“The Lord tries the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”  Tehillim 11:5