COMMENTARY: Shame on Ultra-Orthodox Jews for Defacing Jerusalem Holocaust Museum

This week, three ultra-Orthodox Jews were arrested for spray painting anti-Semitic and anti-Israel graffiti on the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.

The three men -- who admitted committing the crime that occurred earlier this month -- are also suspected of being connected to vandalism attacks at Ammunition Hill on Memorial Day and on memorials in the Jordan Valley.

Several slogans -- written in Hebrew on the Holocaust museum -- included: "Hitler, thank you for the Holocaust," and "If Hitler did not exist, the Zionists would have invented him."

Although we found it incredible at first that ultra-Orthodox Jews would betray their fellow Jews -- that is, Reform Jews and Conservative Jews -- with anti-Semitic slogans and hatred, we have since learned the reason for such self-hatred. (Sociologists use the term "self-hatred" to describe demeaning one's own ethnicity or religion.)

The fact is that many ultra-Orthodox Jews are opposed to the existence of Israel, because they believe that a Jewish state should not be established before the coming of the Messiah. Some ultra-Orthodox Jewish extremists even believe that Israel's founders conspired with Hitler to bring about the state of Israel.

While we believe that ultra-Orthodox Jews are entitled to their religious beliefs, we do not approve of them writing anti-Semitic graffiti on an Israeli Holocaust museum -- or anywhere else, for that matter. We also believe that the three ultra-Orthodox Jews arrested for this graffiti should be sentenced -- if convicted -- to the full extent of Israel's law.

Indeed, Israel already has a plethora of non-Jews around the world who are anti-Semitic. The last thing Israel needs today is ultra-Orthodox Jews in that country adding fuel to an anti-Semitic fire.