(Jewish Group) My temple was broken into and a Torah was desecrated.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

I was on the board of this temple for 10 or 11 years. I was in the board room once a month for my term as a director. I have received two email blasts from the temple about the first break in and the second incursion by this lady but there was no mention of damage or wine being spilled on a torah. About 15 or 20 years ago, the temple commissioned a special scribe to prepare an additional torah for the temple after we donated a torah to a new temple. We still have six or seven torahs.

Here is the story from the Houston news station.

Link to tweet

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/01/21/the-damage-is-immeasurable-woman-breaks-into-jewish-temple-desecrates-sanctuary-and-torah-then-returns-to-scare-children-prosecutors-say/

‘The damage is immeasurable’: Woman breaks into Jewish temple, desecrates sanctuary and Torah, then returns to scare children, prosecutors say

Harris County prosecutors say a woman broke in and desecrated it last Saturday, leaving behind several thousand dollars in damage.

Instead of showing up to court for her hearing Friday, they say she came back to the temple and did even more harm.

”The damage is immeasurable,” said Assistant Harris County District Attorney, Erica Winsor.

Last Saturday, Winsor says a rabbi getting ready to officiate a Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Emanu El walked into an unholy surprise.

”He found an individual on the pulpit,” Winsor says.

That individual was identified as Ezra Law, and Winsor says she wasn’t there to pray.

”There were several religious items that had been removed from their place. Some were damaged, there was red wine that had been consumed and also spilled,” she said

The allegations get even more sacrilegious.

”Most importantly, there was a Torah scroll that was removed from the Holy Arc and spread out on the floor. And there was red wine that was spilled on that scroll,” she said......

KPRC 2 told that Law’s mental state will be evaluated once she’s booked into the jail, but for now, she’s being charged with felony criminal mischief inside a place of worship.

Officials now working to determine whether her actions classify as a hate crime.

One of my law partners is a former president of the Temple and I will check with him later. I want to know why the email blasts did not mention the desecration of a Torah.

[elleng]

1. ;-(

[3catwoman3]

2. How is this...

...not a hate crime?

[Irish_Dem]

4. The article says she came back to scare the pre-school children attending their own small service.

Last edited Sun Jan 22, 2023, 07:32 AM - Edit history (1)

She came in screaming at them.

Article says they are looking into hate crime charges.

I think there should also be charges pressed for terrorizing the children.

[Irish_Dem]

3. I am so sorry to hear about this.

How awful for you and everyone in the congregation.

Maybe the temple attorney didn't want the details of the crime put in
emails pending the court action.
Or the person writing the emails was too upset to go into detail.
Or the rabbi didn't want it made public yet because it is so shocking.

(A close married in family member is Jewish and even though I am not Jewish
I attended Temple services for a number of years because children were
being raised Jewish and I wanted to be supportive. This would have been
so shocking if it had happened at the Temple I attended.)

I hope everything can be put to right.

[jimlup]

5. I'm so sorry!

Horrible that our country has become a place where hate like this is so common.

[Hekate]

6. How heartbreaking. I'm so sorry this happened.

[littlemissmartypants]

7. So sorry, LetMyPeopleVote. ❤️

[ShazzieB]

8. This is horrifying.

I'm not Jewish, but the idea of that holy Torah scroll being desecrated like that hurts my heart.

I can't imagine what this must be like for the members of that congregation. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

Antisemitism is a scourge upon the earth. This kind of deeply rooted hate hurts those who are the targets of it most of all (of course), but it is a toxic poison to all of society as well. May it someday be completely eradicated.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. Updated email from Temple

Here is an updated email that I got tonight. The damage to the Torah may have been overstated.

January 21, 2023

For the thousands of people who make their home at Congregation Emanu El, our synagogue is a spiritual oasis in the center of Houston: a place where we can return time and again to be comforted and strengthened, replenished by the deep stores of Jewish tradition and the warm hospitality of a genuinely welcoming community. Our synagogue is a place where we can bring our deepest hopes and most profound yearnings; it provides opportunities for us to celebrate our lives’ greatest joys and most difficult struggles. It is precisely by opening ourselves up to vulnerability and tenderness that we allow our synagogue to do its most effective work – but for this same reason, if our synagogue ever becomes a place where we feel unsafe or insecure, the pain of that breach becomes even more acute and hurtful.

The events of this past week have made many of us feel frightened and concerned about our safety and that of our most precious loved ones. Over the past few days, we have heard from many of you who have expressed your feelings in earnest and heartfelt ways. We have listened to you carefully, we are grateful for your candor and for your openness, and we, too, have spent this week feeling anxious and concerned as the details of the recent security issues have unfolded.

In this message, which we acknowledge is quite lengthy, we will be providing an update on these security incidents and sharing some of the initial lessons we have learned from our ongoing investigation into these events. Before going into detail about the specifics of these cases, we want to let you know that we have every reason to believe that our campus is safe for you and your families, and that all classes and programs at Emanu El this week will continue as scheduled.

First, here’s a summary of what we know about the events of the past week:
• In the early-morning hours of Saturday, January 14, there was a break-in at the temple building. The intruder spent approximately six hours in our building. She was able to remain undetected during this time because our alarm system had been deactivated while scheduled maintenance was being conducted during the evening. Once the alarm was set, around 3:00 am, the intruder was able to avoid detection until our security guards arrived.
• We are continuing to determine the extent of the damage caused by the intruder, including the broken window, wine which was spilled on the back of a Torah scroll and on the carpeting, etc. At this time, however, we can confirm that the details and scope of the damage which have been described in local news reports were exaggerated and inaccurate.
• Once the intruder was discovered, our security personnel detained her until Houston Police officers arrived to arrest her. After her arrest, she was released on bond and forbidden from being within 1500 feet of the congregation.
• On Monday, after her release, this individual posted content to her social media accounts which were upsetting and concerning to members of our community who encountered them online.

The email goes on to describe increase security for the Temple and the fact that the person was apprehended on Saturday and is in jail without bond.

I will call my law partner tomorrow and find out what he has been told

[mahina]

11. I am so so sorry.

[Irish_Dem]

15. So she planned this in advance, she knew when the alarms were deactivated for maintenance?

So she was watching and planning.

She needs to be in jail.

[No Vested Interest]

10. Very sorry this act occurred in a place of worship.

[AZLD4Candidate]

12. We have been targeted for millenia. It will never end.

As Paul Neuman said in Exodus: "When the show down comes, where are those that support Jews? They will sell us out like everyone else. We have no friends."

The longer I live, the more I believe we Jews are completely on our own.

[Behind the Aegis]

13. Sadly, I agree with you.

There is another Jewish poster here who says we aren't Jewish Americans but Jews who live in America", and, honestly, I believe this more and more with every passing year, and it isn't just the right who makes me feel this way! But, keep that last part under your kippah lest we get 'splained to.

[Irish_Dem]

14. That is what is so upsetting, the synagogue is not just sacred, it is a safe space.

But you are not alone. For those not Jewish this is upsetting to read about.
I am sure the entire community is upset about this.

I'm not Jewish but close family members are and I attended services with
them for a number of years. I loved all of it.

This story makes me mad. Especially the part about this woman scaring
the pre-school children.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. This is a Jew for Jesus nutcase

The Jews for Jesus are NOT members of the Jewish faith and are dangerous assholes

Link to tweet

[Irish_Dem]

20. She is psychotic and dangerous.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. The Jew for Jesus nut case was released again

This is the latest email from my temple

January 22, 2023

We are writing to update you on the status of the individual accused of breaking into our campus. Ezra Law was arrested yesterday but once again has been released on bond. She is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing tomorrow at 9:45 a.m.

We encourage you to review the attached email (linked below) that describes our enhanced security measures which are already in place. We have advised all security personnel and staff to be on heightened alert. Additionally, we continue to have an increased presence and patrol by Houston Police.

All planned classes and activities at our campus will continue as scheduled.

Oren J. Hayon, Senior Rabbi

[Irish_Dem]

18. Why does she keep getting released?

She was screaming at and terrorizing young children in religious class.

She keeps going back to the Temple to do more and more damage.

You and I know a restraining order will not do a thing.

I teared up:

Rabbi Oren gives everyone security measures and instructions and then says:

All planned classes and activities at our campus will continue as scheduled.

Oren J. Hayon, Senior Rabbi

[LetMyPeopleVote]

22. Brian Wice was on one of the local TV channels

He is pissed. The magistrate was asked for GPS monitoring and a restriction on firearms and the magistrate denied these requests. The temple has increased security a great deal

[Irish_Dem]

23. Unbelievable.

If the judge won't put her in jail, the least he can do is the GPS and restriction on firearms.
She is obviously dangerous and out of control. I am sending you some of my thoughts
in a PM. I used to conduct forensic evals for courts.

I hate to say it but I have to wonder what the judge would do if this had happened
to one of those mega christian churches?

[Irish_Dem]

19. The last time she was scheduled for a hearing she headed to the Temple to do more harm?

The guards need to be alerted to be careful tomorrow morning.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

21. The intruder was released on her own recognizance.

The local TV station had a brief story on this intruder. The intruder was released again on her own recognizance for a second time. One of the regular law types was on and was pissed. The lady is not even on GPS bracelet or other restrictions such as no firearms. Since she bonded out with no attorney, they could not put a mental health hold on her

[LetMyPeopleVote]

24. Woman accused of breaking into Jewish temple twice scheduled to appear in court

Link to tweet

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/01/23/woman-accused-of-breaking-into-jewish-temple-twice-desecrating-sanctuary-and-torah-scheduled-to-appear-in-court/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=snd&utm_content=kprc2

A woman accused of breaking into the Congregation Emanu El twice in recent weeks is scheduled to appear in front of a judge Monday morning.

Ezra Law, 33, is facing two charges: felony criminal mischief of a church and misdemeanor criminal mischief. On Saturday, Jan. 14, a rabbi preparing for a Bar Mitzvah said a woman broke into the synagogue, desecrated the pulpit, and spilled red wine.

Assistant District Attorney Erica Winsor said the woman was identified as Law. Winsor adds Law removed the Torah from the pulpit and spread it on the ground.

“Most importantly, there was a Torah scroll that was removed from the Holy Arc and spread out on the floor. And there was red wine that was spilled on that scroll,” Winsor said. “The damage is immeasurable because it can’t just be replaced, it can’t be repair – it has to be replaced.”

“The other part of this is we often hear kosher to describe food or things that people eat but a religious item has to be kosher,” Winsor said. “And so, this item is no longer kosher cannot be used by the congregation until they’re able to go able through a cleansing process and they don’t know if they’ll be able to do that or if this item is lost.”

Winsor said Law was arrested and bonded out. Prosecutors say instead of showing up to court for her arraignment Friday, she returned to the congregation during a preschool class.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

25. BREAKING: A judge revokes Ezra Law's bond and she was taken into custody

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

26. Hearing on crazy Jew for Jesus idiot moved to Monday

Here is an email from my temple that includes a link to watch/listen to hearing

January 26, 2023

Dear Emanu El Family,

We are writing to share an update concerning the ongoing events in our community relating to Ezra Law.

The hearing in the criminal proceedings filed against Law previously set for Friday, January 27 has been moved to Monday, January 30 at 9:00 a.m. Law is still in custody where she will remain until Monday’s hearing.

The case is pending in the 232nd Criminal District Court of Harris County. Monday’s court proceeding is open to the public. You may attend in person or virtually as an observer. Please do not contact the court or Judge concerning the proceedings as that could negatively impact that case.

The court’s address is:
232nd Criminal District Court
16th Floor
Criminal Justice Center
1201 Franklin
Houston, Texas 77002

To listen to the hearing virtually, use this link: https://video.ibm.com/channel/UwDDtbmLYkZ.

In addition, yesterday’s update referenced Law’s second entry into our building as having occurred on January 21. The correct date is January 20.

We are actively monitoring the situation and will continue to provide timely updates.

Stuart Gaylor, President

[LetMyPeopleVote]

27. Hearing for crazy Jew for Jesus idiot has been rescheduled

Here is the latest email from my temple

January 27, 2023

Dear Conregation Emanu El and Becker School Families,

We are committed to keeping our community updated about the ongoing situation and would like to share news we’ve just received regarding the scheduled criminal proceedings against Ezra Law.

While we were previously informed that the next hearing would be Monday, January 30, as of 3:45 pm CST today, January 27, we have learned that the trial is being assigned to another court and will not occur as scheduled. Perhaps most importantly, Law will remain in custody with no bond until a new hearing is scheduled. In the interest of sharing everything we’ve heard, we can say that the new hearing could be held in 10-14 days, although that is not confirmed at this time.

All heightened security measures remain in place. We will continue to actively monitor the situation and provide additional updates the moment we know more.
If you have questions or concerns, we’re here to talk.

This crazy lady will remain in custody until the next hearing