Federal Hill, Baltimore, MD – On the first night of the holiday, Sunday, Nov. 28, Tracy and Michael Hoff and their two children lit menorahs in their front room and opened the curtains for public display, as custom dictates. “We always open our curtains, so everyone can see our menorahs,” said Tracy.
After reciting the blessings and exchanging presents, they all went into other rooms when a rock suddenly crashed through their front window and landed on the hardwood floor of the living room.
“It was about 10 minutes after we left the room when we heard this crash and said, ‘What in the heck was that?!’” said Tracy. “Thankfully, nobody was in the room, not even our dog.”
Tracy said she rushed out the front door and into the street, where passersby informed her they saw a teenage male throw the rock and run.
Baltimore City Police officers called to the house agreed with the Hoffs, who belong to Pikesville’s Beth Tfiloh Congregation, that the incident was a hate crime.
“Our house was the only one in the neighborhood affected,” Tracy said. “We’re practically the only Jewish people on our block. I’m 100 percent sure [it was a hate-motivated crime].”
Fortunately, the perpetrator tossed the rock through the top half of the window and narrowly missed the family’s main menorah.
Source: jmoreliving
