SHOCK! Kever of Harav Chaim Vital zt”l Vandalized

Vandals R”l desecrated the kever of Harav Chaim Vital zt”l, chief talmid of of the Arizal, located near Damascus in Syria on Thursday.

An image posted by Bakhour Chamntoub, leader of the small Jewish community in Syria’s capital, reveals a hole dug beside the kever.

Chamntoub shared on Facebook that intruders broke into the Jewish cemetery in Damascus, damaging the main gate and gaining entry into the room where Rav Vital’s kever is housed. “They dug into the ground beside the grave in search of remains, as shown in the photo,” he said.

Chamntoub noted that a formal complaint had been made to local authorities. “We informed the authority responsible for the area, which came to inspect the damage and promised to search for those responsible and monitor the situation,” he wrote.

Jewish leaders voiced their outrage over the desecration.

In response to the incident, the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic Countries issued a strong statement after Shabbos, declaring:
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the desecration of the tomb of Rabbi Chaim Vital this Thursday in Damascus,” the Alliance wrote. “Jews have lived in Syria for thousands of years and are an integral part of its history. We urgently call on the Syrian government to immediately secure Jewish holy sites, synagogues, and cemeteries and ensure their safety, security, and well-being.”