(JEWISH GROUP) Man charged with hate crimes for allegedly torching a Berkeley Hillel mezuzah
A Berkeley man who has an extensive criminal history and has been linked to antisemitic incidents in the past is charged with two hate crimes for allegedly setting a Berkeley Hillel mezuzah on fire.
Berkeley Police Officer Byron White told J. that at about 7:20 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, a security guard witnessed David William Denton, 44, “put a lit pocket torch to a Jewish mezuzah scroll” attached to the outside of an entrance to Berkeley Hillel.
Rabbi Adam Naftalin-Kelman, executive director of Berkeley Hillel, told J. that students were inside the building celebrating Shabbat at the time but were able to continue their gathering “with no interruption.”
“I think we’re just grateful we were able to continue celebrating Shabbat,” he said Friday. “Sometimes the incidents outside become distractions, and we do lose focus on the majority of the students having really wonderful and meaningful Jewish experiences with Berkeley Hillel.”
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