An Ottawa woman who runs a Jewish prayer centre says she was "stunned" to wake up in the middle of the night and discover someone had spray-painted a swastika and an anti-Semitic slur on the front door of her Glebe home.

Ottawa rabbi Anna Maranta says she woke up Tuesday morning to find a swastika and a racist slur spraypainted in red on her front foor. (Facebook) It happened sometime between 11 p.m. Monday and 2:45 a.m. ET Tuesday, Anna Maranta told CBC News.

"I went to bed a little later than usual and woke up in the middle of the night, around 2:30, and as I was walking back to my room coming down the hall I saw a reflection on my front door, which is a glass window door, that kind of startled me," said Maranta, who describes herself as a rabbi.

"I knew right away it was a swastika."

The word "k--e" was spray-painted above it.

Maranta, who takes care of children, covered up the racist graffiti with newspaper to prevent parents and children from seeing it. The graffiti has since been removed. (Roger Dubois/CBC)

"I came and took a look at it and was just stunned that this had happened," Maranta said. "I immediately took a photo and then contacted some of my friends just to get some feedback and support."

Maranta takes care of children during the day in her home, and said she quickly covered the hateful message with newspaper. The graffiti has since been removed.

She also filed a report with Ottawa police online.

Maranta said she's often been engaged in social activism, but that "this is the first time I've ever had a really personal attack. It just feels very, very different.

Hate graffiti reported this am is being investigated. I encourage any individuals who feel targeted to report it at <a href="https://t.co/5Q6z7W2Geu">https://t.co/5Q6z7W2Geu</a> —@ChiefBordeleau

'Like they've been given permission'

"It's one thing to be marching down the street and be yelled at from the sidelines," she said. "This is somebody who came onto … my property, onto a lit porch, somebody who knows my routine, and so it's likely somebody … I know in this neighbourhood, and that hurts me even more."

Maranta believes the election of president-elect Donald Trump could be related to the racist graffiti on her door.

"My first thought is that this is an example of what happens when you allow somebody who is in a position of power to speak openly racist, bigoted, misogynistic language and don't censor [it] in any way," Maranta said.

"It allows other people to express their feelings, to express their hatred, and to feel like they've been given permission to do so because no one has effectively silenced that."

Ottawa police are investigating. Anyone with information about the racist graffiti is asked to call the force's hate crimes unit.