Illini softball player arrested for vandalising Chabad menorah

The UIPD have issued Ruby Rivera, shortstop for the Illini softball team, a notice to appear in court for her alleged role in the vandalism of the Chabad menorah.

She allegedly told police that she was just trying to unscrew a lightbulb and not break the arm of the ceremonial sculpture.

Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel spoke of the cost of the attack: “The financial cost being assessing how much this will cost, this menorah was just put up. The emotional cost being the pain for students and alumni across campus who had their security violated,”

Tiechtel said. “In the four years students spend here learning about other cultures and understanding each other it just hurts that they would do this to someone’s property.”

Gabriel Wacks, an Orthodox Jewish freshman, may have reason to be worried about this security breach.

Gabriel feels that his decision to wear a kippah advertises his religiousness to the campus. Even in light of these events, Gabriel remains resolute that he will hold to his public devotion to Judaism.

“I really have had no experience of antisemitism on campus, some of my friends have, but I fortunately haven’t,” Gabriel said. “As a religious Jew, when you hear these things it’s kind of frightening.”

Tiechtel doesn’t believe these act should make an individual question his or her devotion to Judaism.

“These events make me stand taller and stand firmer,” Tiechtel said. I hope all students feel the same way. No one should ever cower away because of the acts of others. I hope that students put on more kippahs and stand taller and firmer and not cower away.”

The UIPD said Fernandez-Rivera also offered to apologize to Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel of the Illini Chabad Center for Jewish Life.

However, Tiechtel said forgiveness is a “loaded word.”

“Firstly, people have to know the consequences of their actions, and secondly, I don’t believe in anger and wrath and resent, I believe if she takes responsibility for her actions and recognizes what she has done wrong, that will be a very positive first step in publicly recognizing what she has done and the hurt she has caused so many people,” Tiechtel said.

When called by the Daily Illini, Kent Brown, Associate Director of Athletics for media relations, said the athlete was not available for comment. He added that the administration and coaches were “dealing with the situation.”

Some fear how this could affect the Jewish population at UIUC.

“The fear of antisemitism on campus has skyrocketed recently,” Gabriel said. “People may get scared and want to go to a campus with a much larger Jewish population.”

Security cameras owned by the Illini Chabad captured one woman and one man approaching the center from the east around 1:16 a.m. Sunday. The woman spends about a minute manipulating the menorah on the center’s front lawn before one of the arms snaps.

The menorah has been the target of at least three vandalism incidents since the beginning of 2015.

Tiechtel believes these acts of vandalism indicate a cultural lack of respect.

“I know in the Talmud it says you can judge others by how they act when they’re angry and how they act while they are drunk,” Tiechtel said. “What causes somebody to destroy a religious symbol? That’s an important question we really need to ask ourselves.”

He hopes to athletic department and the administration work with the court of law to punish Rivera in a fair and just way.