Gravestones vandalized in Jewish cemetery

Chicago Sun Times ^ | January 12, 2008 | DAN ROZEK

[forkinsocket]

Dozens of gravestones at a Jewish cemetery near Norridge were desecrated with anti-Semitic graffiti in an attack that Cook County authorities are calling a hate crime.

The vandalism caused an estimated $100,000 damage to 57 tombstones scarred with spray-painted swastikas, other symbols and slurs that included "Aryan Power" and "white power."

"To see the physical damage and the disrespect for people who are dead, it's so sad," said Phil Ferkel, executive director of Westlawn Cemetery.

Several vandals -- described as "cowards who ply hate" by Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart -- apparently invaded the cemetery last weekend.

"What they did here was absolutely despicable," said Dart. "The desecration of graves has a level in the circles of hell that goes to the very bottom."

[barker]

People that do these things are just plain common. Low, common gutter trash.

You should have seen me go ballistic when I saw a teenager riding his horse across the cemetery where my husband is buried. I used words I didn't even know I knew.

[xJones]

Thanks for the update, and it would be interesting to know the vandals’ names. I really didn’t know that desecration of American Jewish graveyards was on the rise. That is a crime beyond disgusting, and what do you do with ‘people’ that could desecrate graves? They are sick, perhaps without chance of redemption.

[rmlew]

Thanks for the update, and it would be interesting to know the vandals’ names. I really didn’t know that desecration of American Jewish graveyards was on the rise. That is a crime beyond disgusting, and what do you do with ‘people’ that could desecrate graves? They are sick, perhaps without chance of redemption.

I would like to trade the 3 punks for my aunt who was recently buried in another NJ cemetery. Too bad it doesn't work that way.