By Joyce Spielberger, BJF

Pictured here is a swastika that was painted on the sidewalk leading to the home of Birmingham Jewish community members Richard and Kelly Kahn this week. The Kahns live in Vestavia Hills in the Wellington development on Overton Road, adjacent to Mountain Brook.

The Kahns have contacted the Vestavia Hills police. They believe this may have been done by some Vestavia Hills High School classmates of their daughter Erin. Also painted was a Jewish star and obscenities directed at the young woman.

In my role as The Birmingham Jewish Federation's Director of Community Relations, I am working with the Kahn family and the Atlanta-based Southeast office of the Anti-Defamation League to guide the family and be a resource as needed.

The swastika, which was the symbol of the Nazi Party, is used to intimidate, harass and express hatred toward Jews. There have been few such incidents reported in Birmingham over the years. What is especially significant about this incident is that it was done so overtly in front of a Jewish family's home.

The Kahns and The BJF need your help! We all must take a stand against this kind of hate. With Richard Kahn's permission, I have posted the above picture on The BJF's Facebook page with the tag line, "Say No to Hate! Join The BJF by sharing this link and encourage your friends to do so as well. Together we can stand up to hate!"

This will be a grassroots show of support as well as a way to educate others that there is no place for hate in our society today -- especially here, in Birmingham. We hope at least 1000 people will comment or "like" it and share it. Please go to the below link to participate in this effort.

Thank you in advance for your support. We intend to work with the Kahns, law enforcement authorities and the ADL not only to find those responsible but also to educate our entire community on how hurtful and destructive these actions can be.

Sadly, this incident is one more illustration of the important role that our Jewish Federation plays on behalf of our Jewish community. Additionally, our goal, as it always is, is to turn a "negative into a positive" by using this incident to promote understanding and mutual respect among all people.

(Those familiar with the swastika will note that it wasn't painted correctly.)