A shocking act of vandalism at the Ridbaz Shul in Tzfas left the local chareidi community reeling on Sunday after an intruder allegedly entered the building and caused widespread destruction, tearing seforim, smashing light fixtures, breaking chairs, and extensively damaging the beis haknesses.

The Ridbaz Shul serves as the central beis haknesses for the city’s Litvishe community in southern Tzfas.

Shmuel Levy, the gabbai of the beis haknesses, said that the incident occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m.

“When I arrived at the beis haknesses around 2:15, I saw complete devastation,” Levy said. “There were torn seforim, shattered light fixtures, broken chairs, and extensive destruction throughout the building. Even the shelter beneath the beis haknesses had been overturned and damaged, and glass cups in the restrooms had been smashed.”

According to Levy, bochurim from Yeshivas Revavos Ephraim, who regularly come to the beis haknesses to learn during their afternoon break, were the first to discover what had happened.

“When the bochurim arrived, they heard someone shouting inside the beis haknesses,” he recounted. “They went in and immediately saw the extent of the destruction. They called me right away, and by the time I arrived, they had already begun cleaning up.”

Community members believe the suspect may be a 16-year-old youth who they say was previously involved in another vandalism incident at a different beis haknesses in Tzfas.

Levy said the community has not yet filed a police complaint, explaining that they first want to determine whether the suspect is indeed the same individual believed to have been involved in the earlier incident. Once that determination is made, they will decide whether to involve law enforcement.

Members of the community expressed profound shock over the desecration of the beis haknesses and the damage inflicted on the seforim, expressing hope that the individual responsible will soon be identified and held accountable.

{Matzav.com}