Swastikas Appear at Site of Temple Lost in Eaton Fire

A mural that rose from the ashes of a deadly California wildfire has now been defaced with Nazi symbols. Sheriff's officials said they're investigating a hate crime after swastikas and antisemitic graffiti were sprayed on a bright orange poppy mural in unincorporated Pasadena on Friday. The artwork, painted on the site of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center destroyed in the 2025 Eaton fire, bore the message "We are all responsible for each other," the Los Angeles Times reports. "This mural was created after the Eaton fire as a message of hope and solidarity for the entire Altadena community," said Melissa Levy, the temple's executive director, per CBS News.

The synagogue, founded in 1921 as a refuge for Jews excluded from buying homes in the area, has been operating offsite since the fire that killed 19 people and leveled thousands of structures. The temple is seeking to restore the mural, per the Times. Fire Capt. Ethan Marquez pledged a full investigation; officials have not said whether security cameras captured the vandalism or how many people may have been involved. In a Facebook post, the temple said it would not let the attack define the community. "We responded to hate with hope before," Levy said, "and we will do it again."