On Oct. 14 UNC Charlotte’s campus police received word that an act of vandalism had occured on campus. A sukkah, a Jewish traditional booth created to celebrate the weeklong holiday of Sukkot, was defaced and the letters F U were scrawled on the sukkah’s star of David.
Due to the offensive nature of the misdemeanor, the university is treating the incident as a hate crime directed at the Jewish community. “UNC Charlotte has been committed to cultivating a campus community that emphasizes inclusion and mutual respect... Notwithstanding this thoughtless act of vandalism, we will continue to do so,” said Chancellor Philip L. Dubois.
The sukkah was created by the Jewish student organization Hillel. Hillel’s former director, Barbara Thiede, expressed her anger with the perpetrators of the act in an Oct. 16 op-ed in the Charlotte Observer calling for support for the Jewish community and the Hillel organization.
“Where the succah stood, another one - new and proud.,” said Thiede, “Succot may be over; the symbol of that fragile booth which sheltered the Israelites can still stand as a reminder that everyone deserves protection from hate.”
If any student has information on the incident please notify the university police force in the police and facilities management building or at 704-687-2200.
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