SANTA MONICA—A Santa Monica synagogue was vandalized on Sunday, December 25, the first day of Hanukkah noted Rabbi Boruch Rabinowitz. The front window of the Living Torah Center, located on Wilshire Boulevard, was defiled with feces and rice.

No anti-Semitic messages or symbolism were found at the scene, but officials at the Santa Monica synagogue believe the edifice was targeted for religious reasons. Assistant Rabbi Dovid Tenenbaum told the press Sunday morning: “This seems kind of intentional. With a religious artefact in the window, we have to assume so.”

The Santa Monica Police Department are aware of the incident, but have not yet categorized the incident as a hate crime as no evidence was left behind.

Rabbi Tenenbaum indicated to the press that this is not the first inauspicious act committed against the Jewish place of worship.

“A little paper swastika left in the mailbox, some phone calls with hate voices, or hate messages, some graffiti,” said Tenenbaum.

The vandalism was not captured on video cameras to provide authorities of potential suspects connected to the crime. No suspect or suspects have been identified by authorities. Officials are expected to increase patrols in the region as Hanukkah continues to be celebrated until January 1, 2017.

The SMPD posted the following message on their Facebook page on Monday, December 26:

“Tonight we joined the community in support of the Living Torah Center Chabad, following a vandalism incident which occurred on the first night of Chanukah.”