Will and Emma Rosenbaum moved to Lafayette, Colorado from an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, hoping for a quieter life, but that hasn’t been happening, according to Emma’s Facebook post on Wednesday:
“Something horrible and unthinkable happened to my husband William Rosenbaum and I yesterday. I’ve been processing my feelings but felt it was appropriate and very needed to post about it.
“When he got home from work yesterday he found a swastika carved into our front door. I was at work and when he called to tell me I felt shocked, hurt, personally attacked and a rush of other feelings.
“This only happened in the two hours between me leaving and him coming home. I started to think are we being watched? Will something happen again? Why are we being targeted? Just how can this happen? You should never feel scared to be at home, home should be your comfort place.
“I would never attack anyone for their personal beliefs no matter what. When it gets this close to home the feelings are terrifying. I could go on and on but just to say hate cannot and should not exist in this world. Only love is what I deeply pray for.”
Emma, who this year started working for the Boulder Valley school district, later posted: “No one should have to wait for maintenance to come and paint over, cover up, a hate symbol on your front door. That feeling is surreal.”
Thankfully, the responses from Facebook readers were supportive. Barb Ara wrote: Emma, You don’t know me but I just saw the article of what happened at your apartment. I just wanted to reach out and say that I’m horrified that this hateful thing happened in our community. (I live nearby). Persecution of any kind is despicable. I’m hopeful that you the majority of people here do not support this kind of behavior in any way shape or form.”