Police arrest man for vandalizing Long Island Chabad, stealing Torah scrolls

The suspect, 23-year-old Hunter McElrath, was discovered by police at the beach entirely naked save for a Jewish prayer shawl (tallit).

 The broken door of the ark is seen at the Chabad of the Beaches synagogue in Long Beach, Long Island, New York, after it was vandalized and burgled. (photo credit: Eli Goodman)
The broken door of the ark is seen at the Chabad of the Beaches synagogue in Long Beach, Long Island, New York, after it was vandalized and burgled.
(photo credit: Eli Goodman)

Police in Long Beach, Long Island, New York have arrested and charged a man with the vandalism and burglary of a Chabad synagogue, which saw two Torah scrolls stolen.

The synagogue, known as Chabad of the Beaches, was burgled over the weekend, the ark broken, Torah scrolls thrown around the floor and two other Torah scrolls stolen along with several pieces of silver.

The suspect, 23-year-old Hunter McElrath, was discovered by police entirely naked save for a Jewish prayer shawl (tallit) at the beach, local outlet Newsday reported.

 Police are seen at the entrance of the Chabad of the Beaches synagogue after it was vandalized and burgled. (credit: Eli Goodman)
Police are seen at the entrance of the Chabad of the Beaches synagogue after it was vandalized and burgled. (credit: Eli Goodman)

No motive was apparent, but the police do not think it was an antisemitic crime, Newsday reported.

It is unclear how McElrath was able to get into the synagogue, but according to the synagogue's Rabbi Eli Goodman, it may have been through the back doors.

"We just renovated the synagogue and are replacing some of the doors," Goodman explained to The Jerusalem Post. "Someone was supposed to come earlier to replace them, but with the hurricane, things got delayed."

 Police tape is seen over a Jewish prayer shawl strewn on the floor of the Chabad on the Beaches synagogue after it was vandalized and burgled. (credit: Eli Goodman)
Police tape is seen over a Jewish prayer shawl strewn on the floor of the Chabad on the Beaches synagogue after it was vandalized and burgled. (credit: Eli Goodman)

Several of the silver ornaments were returned, with people having discovered them washed up on the beach. The Torah scrolls, however, remain lost. 


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Goodman explained that they plan to take some boats into the water to see if they can find anything else that was stolen.

The loss of Torah scrolls is especially damaging, as they are extremely valuable, ranging in the tens of thousands of dollars. 

Those who wish to help the Chabad can donate money to their website here.