Residents in Shock as Hate Symbols Appear at Beverly Hills Complex
By Dolores Quintana
Residents of a Beverly Hills apartment complex found themselves deeply unsettled as antisemitic graffiti was discovered spray-painted outside their building. This disturbing incident occurred on Wednesday, right outside the Bedford Manor apartments on Bedford Drive, situated just south of Olympic Boulevard.
Klara Firestone, the building’s manager, expressed her emotions during an interview with ABC7, stating, “It’s just terribly emotional, and it’s frightening. It’s frightening to know that it’s happening in my own home – literally in my own home.”
Of the residents at Bedford Manor, as much as 60% are of Jewish heritage, according to Firestone. This includes her own 99-year-old mother, Renee Firestone, who is a Holocaust survivor. In a poignant moment, Klara Firestone shared with ABC7 a black-and-white family photograph, revealing that nearly all of the three dozen people depicted had perished during the Holocaust.
Klara and her parents embarked on a journey to the U.S. to forge a new life, but the recent incident stirs up poignant memories. “That’s really what stings – that the world has not learned the lessons and has not changed one iota,” she reflected. “There are still those that would relish my demise and dance on my grave.”
Efforts were made to promptly address the graffiti, as workers painted over the defacement at the apartment complex following its discovery.
The Beverly Hills Police Department has launched an investigation into the incident. The agency disclosed that it had received three reports of antisemitic incidents over the course of the week, though it remains unclear whether these incidents are connected.
