Nearly 200 headstones in 2 Jewish cemeteries vandalized, sparking FBI investigation

Two Jewish cemeteries in Cincinnati were recently vandalized, with nearly 200 gravestones being affected, according to the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati .

The Tifereth Israel and Beth Hamedrash Hagadol cemeteries in the Covedale Cemetery complex were vandalized between June 25 and Monday, when the vandalism was discovered.

The FBI and police in Cincinnati are investigating the incident, though as of Wednesday, no arrests have been made.

In a post to Facebook, the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati said they were “deeply saddened and outraged” over the vandalism.

“Our hearts go out to the families affected by this senseless vandalism,” the federation said in a statement. “The Jewish community in Cincinnati is resilient, and we are committed to repairing the damage and restoring the sanctity of these sacred spaces.”

Most of the gravestones were pushed face down so the names couldn’t be read, and photos from the federation showed that many of them were broken.

The Anti-Defamation League reports that antisemitic incidents across the country have been on the rise, with antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assaults up 140% over the last year in the United States.

The rise in incidents has primarily occurred after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. The ADL said in its April report that there were 8,873 antisemitic incidents in 2023, while in 2022, there were 3,698.

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this point.

“We will inform the families as soon as we have more information,” the federation said.