Antisemitic graffiti on the garage of Jewish home in Mira Mesa, CA. Photo: KABC

A Jewish family in California has been gripped with fear after discovering their property was defaced with swastikas during the Passover holiday.

According to The Blaze, the electricity to Israel Dahan’s Mira Mesa home was turned off on Sunday night. When the father of three went outside to investigate, he discovered that his garage and vehicle had been spray painted with swastikas.

“In Jewish history, [swastikas] mean someone wants to kill us,” Dahan explained to KSWB.

According to Dahan, the family had recently moved to the United States from Israel to provide his daughters a better life.

Local reporter Dan Haggerty tweeted photos of the attack, adding that the couple’s three daughters currently sleep in one room – while their concerned father keeps a knife under his bed.

Jewish family in Mira Mesa celebrating Passover get the power cut to their home and walk outside to find this. pic.twitter.com/5ysxQj3SIW

— Dan Haggerty (@10NewsHaggerty) April 9, 2015

He thinks they saw the Mezuzah in the doorway, dodged the surveillance cams, cut the power. Entire fam was inside. pic.twitter.com/1aLgLCGVtt — Dan Haggerty (@10NewsHaggerty) April 9, 2015

 

According to a report conducted by the Anti-Defamation League, 2014 saw a 21 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the United States. California saw a largest increase of 29 percent – with 184 incidents recorded in 2014 compared to 143 in 2013.

Meanwhile KABC is reporting that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.