Students who broke Chabad menorah agree to make restitution during meeting with Rabbi Boudjnah

By Donald H. Harrison

Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO – A pair of students from the University of San Diego admitted on Thursday that they had pulled down a lower branch of a 13-foot high menorah at the Chabad House at San Diego State University, apologized to Chabad Rabbi Chalom Boudjnah, and agreed to pay for the damages and to perform community service with Chabad.

In return, Rabbi Boudjnah agreed not to press charges against the two 18-year-old students nor to release their names.

Boudjnah told San Diego Jewish World that replacing the menorah could run up to $4,000, while repairing it possibly could run less.  He said that when the students did pull-ups on the menorah early Friday morning, March 24, they not only caused the lower branch to become severed from the rest of the menorah but also ruined the electrical system by which the menorah is lit.  The lower branch of the menorah was temporarily replaced on Sunday, March 26, by volunteers.

The agreement between the students and the rabbi was reached Thursday afternoon at the Chabad House on Montezuma Road near College Avenue.  It was witnessed by a San Diego Police Department detective, Boudjnah said.

Although several cars full of students were seen stopping at the Chabad House in the hour between midnight and 1 a.m., the two students said they were not part of a fraternity or any organized group.  They said they had been at a party at San Diego State University, and while waiting for a friend to pick them up, decided to do pull-ups on the menorah, telling the rabbi they now regretted their action.

One of the students said it was he who shouted “Here come the Jews” before getting into a car, but said he did not bear any animus toward Jews.  “He realized it was a Jewish place, but didn’t mean anything anti-Semitic,” said Boudjnah.  “He was very sincere, very apologetic, very sorry, and very afraid.  As a rabbi, I felt that was enough.”

Boudjnah said the students spent about 45 minutes at the Chabad House, meeting first with the police detective and later with Rabbi Boudjnah and his wife, Meirav.

The rabbi said that he was called during the day by several officials of the University of San Diego, who he described as being very concerned and very apologetic that any of their students were involved.  The University of San Diego is run under auspices of the Roman Catholic Church, while having a diverse student body.

Pamela Gray Payton, USD’s assistant vice president for media and communications, issued a statement noting that Chabad and “a student” had reached an agreement concerning the menorah.  She apparently had not been made aware that two students had been involved.

“The University of San Diego values its close relationship with the Jewish community in San Diego and is deeply committed to educating students to respect all faith traditions,” Payton said in official statement for the University of San Diego.

Boudjnah said that he received many expressions of concern from the community, and thanked all those for caring so deeply.  “We really appreciate it,” the rabbi said.

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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World.  He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com