FBI offers $10K reward for information about vandalism at Cincinnati Jewish cemeteries

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest of people responsible for damaging gravestones at two Jewish cemeteries on Cincinnati's West Side.

The vandalism of 176 gravestones at at Tifereth Israel Cemetery and Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Cemetery is thought to have been committed between June 25 and Monday.

Anyone with information about this vandalism is encouraged to contact the FBI at 513-421-4310 or online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI also wants to talk with anyone who was in either of these cemeteries between June 25 and Monday and may be able to provide information about the condition of the cemeteries at that time.

The FBI Cincinnati Field Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are working with SAFE Cincinnati, the security arm of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Police Department, FBI and Green Township officials to investigate.

Tombstones were knocked over, some cracked in half; some date back to the late 1800s. In some places, whole lines of graves were knocked over and broken. In other locations, the headstones remained standing, untouched.

Following the incident, the American Jewish Committee put out a statement citing the rising rate of antisemitism in the United States over the past five years. The group's 2023 report found that 25% of American Jews felt their Jewish institutions had been targeted by antisemitism.

“This incident is unfortunately part of a rising and unacceptable trend of Jewish sites being targeted by antisemitic hate in recent years. Sadly, our community is not immune," said Justin Kirschner, Cincinnati regional director for the group.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned the vandalism in a post on X, calling it "despicable": "This is antisemitism and it is vile." He said his administration is committed to supporting investigators and bringing justice to the perpetrators.

Those who wish to help fund cemetery repairs and maintenance can donate to the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati at jcemcin.org/donate.

Enquirer reporter Allison Kiehl contributed.