KTLA

Woman faces hate crime charge for ramming synagogue gate with car, LAPD says

A woman allegedly crashed her car through a synagogue gate on Nov. 9, 2023. (KTLA)

A woman faces a hate crime charge after she allegedly crashed her car through the gate of a Tarzana synagogue.

Tikvah Mottahdeh, 54, rammed her vehicle into the gates of ERETZ Synagogue & Cultural Center, located in the 6100 block of Wilbur Avenue, early Thursday morning, according to Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson Officer Moran.


Mottahdeh was arrested at around 2:10 a.m. and faces a charge of hate crime vandalism at a house of worship, Moran said.

Footage from the scene showed the broken gate lying in the synagogue’s driveway.

It is unknown if the synagogue structure sustained any damage.