For Immediate Release                                                           Contact:

December 3, 2013                                                                  Roslyn Singer, 212-613-8227

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU) expressed its disappointment at the vandalizing of the menorah in front of the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah on Sunday. Three branches of the menorah were ripped off its left side and dropped in front of the Chabad House in Salt Lake City.

“Whether or not anti-Semitism was a factor in the desecration of Chabad’s menorah, or if this was a ‘simple’ act of vandalism, we are troubled by this attack. OU Advocacy works hand in hand with other faiths—including the Church of Latter Day Saints—to promote religious freedom and tolerance. We are confident that the Salt Lake City officials will identify the perpetrators and handle this situation appropriately,” said Nathan Diament, Executive Director for Public Policy.

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The Orthodox Union is the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization; the OU Advocacy Center, formerly the Institute for Public Affairs, is the non-partisan public policy arm of the OU and leads its advocacy efforts in Washington, DC and state capitals.