The swastika, it turns out, wasn't meant to offend -- though it did, as police and Don Pripstein, president of the Jewish Community Center of LBI, received several complaints about it. It was part of the third-annual Swastika Rehabilitation Day, a worldwide event sponsored by the International Raelian Movement, a cult religious group that, according to its website, believes a Creator reveals itself via UFOs. Swastika Rehabilitation Day, said Las Vegas-based movement spokesman Thomas Kaenzig, aims to "educate people about true meaning of the swastika."
"We're aware of the link the many people make ... with Nazi ideology, and that's why we do have this rehabilitation day to give the swaskita back its true value," Kaenzig said, adding that the symbol is sacred in some religions and, at one point in time, stood for luck. "People say it's offensive, [but] it's like saying you can't use the cross anymore because the Ku Klux Klan abused it."
Kaenzig said the plane that flew as far south as Brigantine, N.J. on Saturday also flew over New York City as part of the day, and another swastika-bearing plane flew over Los Angeles. This year was the first year the group decided to fly the banners, he said.
"We would like to know the story behind it and what people are trying to do, but the initial image of it is obviously a scary thing for the Jewish people," the JCC's Pripstein said. "The desire may be to try and rectify it, but the image is still a scary thing."
Kaenzig said the Raelians haven't yet decided whether they'll fly the banners again during next year's event.
Contact Morgan Zalot at 215-854-5928 or zalotm@phillynews.com, or follow on Twitter @morganzalot. Read her blog PhillyConfidential.com.
