Tarzana, CA - LA Mayor Helps Open Vandalized Synagogue

Tarzana, CA - The mayor of Los Angeles has helped open the new Orthodox synagogue, after vandals tried to burn it.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and several Orthodox Jews carried heavy Torahs in a procession for about a half mile to a new synagogue that was vandalized in a hate crime as reported today on VOS IZ NEIAS.
Villaraigosa led the faithful from the old synagogue to the new one in the midday sun., though many struggled to keep up with the physically-fit mayor. According to the marchers, the Torahs weigh between 40 and 50 pounds.

About 600 people packed the new building when the 250-member procession arrived from the old synagogue, which was held in a Reseda office building.

Parviz Hakimi, the synagogue's vice president said that members of his congregation were "very much saddened with this incident, but I'm sure this is an isolated event and doesn't reflect on the community."
"From every bad thing always comes good things and maybe the people who did this will see this act of vandalism and come to their sense and change their way of life," Hakimi said.