Police follow leads in
Jewish center damage
MANALAPAN — Police are still searching for the person or persons responsible for doing damage to the Jewish Learning Center of Monmouth County that is under construction on Pine Brook Road.
Police said the learning center was the target of one or more vandals sometime between 10 p.m. Aug. 18 and 7 a.m. Aug. 19. Police said swastikas were found to have been spray-painted on the building and on a sign that had been knocked down. Structural damage to a support post for the building was also reported.
On Aug. 23, Manalapan Police Capt. Michael Rumola told the News Transcript police are following several leads in the case. No arrests had been made as of that date.
Speaking of the incident during the Township Committee’s Aug. 22 meeting, Mayor Mary Cozzolino said, "This community suffered a great injury to who we are as a town. After the horrendous act of bigotry visited upon the Jewish Learning Center and in this entire community, I would ask that in our moment of silence we consider our new neighbors, the congregants of the Jewish Leaning Center, and turn our thoughts and attention to coming together as a community and expressing our distaste and utter reprehension at these acts."
The Jewish War Veterans Covered Bridge Post 536 is offering a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of the crime.
Post Commander Bill Epstein expressed the hope that other JWV posts which are members of JWV Monmouth-Ocean County Council will join in offering an additional reward with the aim of bringing those responsible to justice.
One of the goals of the JWV is to fight anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, according to a press release.
In the days following the incident, JWV Post 972 of Manalapan-Marlboro offered a $250 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the crime.
Members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Bias Crimes Unit and Manalapan Detective Robert Fausak are investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the incident may call Fausak at (732) 446-8387.

