Jewish Center Vandalism Has Students On Edge

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Nerves are high on the campus of Indiana University after the Jewish student center on campus was vandalized.

Students lighted a menorah to celebrate the second night of Hanukkah Wednesday night at the Chabad House on East 7th Street, but images from the front of the building were anything but peaceful, 6News' Renee Jameson reported.

"It's very painful. They were shocked. Everybody was very shocked," said Zlata Chincholker, of the student center.

The letters spelling the word "Jewish" were pried from the front of the student center in November.

"We thought it was really like a message, and we cannot tolerate that," Chincholker said.

Students said a beer bottle was thrown threw the center's window in October.

"They were just watching a video when the bottle went through the window. They thought it was gunfire. That's how strong it was," Chincholker said.

IU has 4,000 Jewish students, and the house is a gathering place for many of them.

Bloomington police are investigating the incidents, and a local religious organization, Bloomington United, is also looking for answers.

A community gathering is scheduled for the student center next Tuesday. People will light candles and form a human menorah on the last day of Hanukkah.