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PHILADELPHIA – A new Israeli flag and a sign calling for the release of hostages taken in the October 7th Hamas attack will soon be placed on the facade of the Museum of American Jewish History in Center City following an act of vandalism.
The backstory:
The massive Israeli flag on the side of the Museum of American Jewish History in Center City was defaced with red spray paint last weekend, according officials.
The red paint was also splattered on the sidewalk in from of the museum located right across the street from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
Dan Tadmor, President and CEO of The Weitzman, said the defaced flag will soon be replaced with a sign calling for the return of hostages captured during Hamas’s attack on a music festival in Israel nearly two years ago.
“It is costly and time-consuming to properly clean the area,” Tadmor said. “To put it simply, if we planned to update the sign anyway, we may as well be efficient and do it in one stroke.”
Along with the sign, Tadmor said a new flag of Irsael will also be placed on the side of the building.
What they’re saying:
Tadmor said the museum is not “capitulating” to the vandals who responsible for the attack.
“As the nation’s Jewish museum, there can never be any misunderstanding as to our identity and positions: we are a proudly Jewish and proudly Zionist institution,” Tadmor wrote.
What’s next:
The new signage is expected to be in pace within the next week or shortly thereafter, Tadmor said.
Crime & Public SafetyPhiladelphiaNews