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3 Juveniles Arrested
In NJ Desecration
EXODUS XXII, 24
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Teaneck, N.J. (JTA).— Three
juveniles from the nearby
community of Elmwood
Park have been arrested in
connection with New
Jersey's worst desecration
ever of a Jewish cemetery.
The three allegedly defac-
ed some 100 graves in the
Passaic Junction Jewish
Cemetery in Saddle Brook
with painted swastikas and
other anti-Semitic graffiti
during Rosh Hashanah.
Bergen County Prosecutor
John Fahy said the youths,
two 17- year-olds and one 16-
year-old, could face up to two
years in prison and a $7,500
fine per person if convicted
of the two charges against
them — desecration of re-
ligious premises and
malicious mischief.
They also could be re-
quired to pay restitution for
the $3,500 worth of damage
done in the cemetery.
The trial date has been set
for Dec. 3, and the three will
be tried as juveniles.
Mr. Fahy called the case
"the most outrageous" he
had seen in his three years
as prosecutor.
In an attempt to under-
stand the motives of the
alleged perpetrators, Rabbi
Jerome Blass, a psychologist
who is spiritual leader of the
Bergenfield-Dumont Jewish
Center, said he feels the
desecration was "not at all a
childish prank."
"These are high-school
children who should have
known better," said Rabbi
Blass. "They were express-
ing anger and hatred. I am
not at all surprised by it, be-
cause the rate of anti-
Semitism is increasing all
over the United States.
"In addition, we are in a
period of economic
downturn, and I wonder how
much the kids hear adults
out of work who are
scapegoating the Jews," said
Rabbi Blass.
Jeffrey Maas, New Jersey
regional director of the Anti-
Defamation League of B'nai
B'rith, said the juveniles
"did it intentionally to hurt
the Jewish community.
We're dealing with rotten
kids."
While laws regarding such
crimes are strict, Marsha
Wenk, legal counsel of the
New Jersey chapter of the
American Civil Liberties
Union, said the fact that the
suspects are juveniles will
affect the sentencing.
But because the crime in-
volved desecration of re-
ligious premises, the
penalties for the crime could
be enhanced, she said.
Ms. Wenk added, however,
that the State Supreme
The youths could
face up to two
years in prison.
Court is scheduled to hear a
case this month challenging
existing bias- crimes
statutes.
In September, the U.S.
House of Representatives
passed the Hate Crimes
Sentencing Enhancement
Act, which would increase
penalties for hate crimes.
The bill, which has major
backing from Jewish organ-
izations, would give federal
judges the ability to impose
longer prison terms for
criminals motivated by a
victim's race, religion, na-
tionality, gender or sexual
orientation.
According to Mr. Maas, be-
cause the alleged offenders
are juveniles, they may be
eligible for educational re-
habilitation rather than be
sent to prison.
Rehabilitation would in-
clude participation in Stamp
Out Hate Crimes, a program
developed by the state At-
torney General's Office that
aims to teach youngsters
about hate crimes and to
sensitize them to the pain it
creates.
But Mr. Fahy, who called
the cemetery desecration the
worst he has seen during his
lifetime in New Jersey, said
he was not certain that the
youths, if convicted, would
avoid jail time in this case.
In the aftermath of the
Saddle Brook desecration,
Elmwood Park Schools
Superintendent Mel Persy
convened an assembly on
Sept. 27 for students to hear
about what he termed an
"outrage."
The First Reformed Chur-
ch of Saddle Brook, whose
members had volunteered to
form a bucket brigade to
clean the monuments, issued
a declaration condemning
the crime.
"Such deeds threaten to
destroy us all, not only those
against whom they are
directed. We take our stand:
We oppose all persons who
support, promote, or carry
out such evil deeds," the
declaration read.
Large Force
Needed To Patrol
Jerusalem (JTA) — The
t hird round of autonomy
t alks in the Sinai border
t own of Taba ended this
week with Palestinian dele-
g ates saying they want a
U)
olice force of 25,000 to
3 0,000 to patrol the Gaza
S trip and West Bank town of
J ericho after Israeli forces
w ithdraw.
The Palestinians said the
olice force would have to be
e quipped with helicopters,
LLJ
C/)
LLJ
CC
F-
bo ats, machine guns.
The security committee,
o ne of several panels
U)
E m eeting in Taba, reportedly
m ade progress on the com-
Lu
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1 .
54
Cemetery vandalism similar to that found in New Jersey.
§
p osition, size and weapons of
t he Palestinian police force.
B ut no details were released. Li