A Brandeis University student discovered on Nov. 21 that their mezuzah, along with their name label, had been removed from their door. Their room label was ripped apart and found near the men’s bathroom down the hall, while the mezuzah case was discarded in the bathroom trash. This troubling incident came shortly after someone stole the same student’s Israeli flag on Nov. 10, though their mezuzah and name label were left untouched at that time. Although the mezuzah case was found in the trash, the scroll remains missing despite their friend’s thorough search of the bathroom garbage and surrounding areas.

A mezuzah is a parchment scroll, usually contained in a small decorative case, with a handwritten prayer from the book of Deuteronomy known as the Shema. This prayer reminds Jews to “keep God’s words constantly in mind and heart” by placing them on their doorposts. The tradition, which dates back thousands of years, symbolizes the presence of Judaism in daily life and serves as a source of protection for the home’s inhabitants.

The student reported the incidents to Brandeis campus police on Nov. 21. Officers began questioning residents in Skyline Residence Hall to gather more information. Brandeis Hillel condemned the acts of vandalism in a Nov. 26 Instagram statement, emphasizing the university’s values of inclusion and respect. In response, Brandeis Hillel arranged hundreds of mezuzahs for students, which will be available for students in Upper Usdan on Dec. 6.

Editor’s Note: The correct definition of a mezuzah has been put at the beginning of this article’s second paragraph.