By Steve Lieberman and Greg Shillinglaw

SPRING VALLEY – Good spelling wasn't the hallmark of whoever spray-painted a swastika on a street of a predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.

Written inside a painted Star of David near the Nazi hate symbol were the words "Hail Hitler" accompanied by a heart. (The correct German spelling of the Nazi salute and greeting to show obedience to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler is "Heil Hitler.")

The graffiti was found Sunday along Morris Road, off Union Road.

Rabbi Yisroel Kahan, a community liaison, said several residents witnessed at least two males, believed to be teenagers, scrawling the message on the sidewalk Saturday morning. One of the witnesses, a mother walking with her children, was frightened and went to a neighbor's house until the teens were finished.

Kahan added that there are many Holocaust survivors living in the area and this type of message brings up horrible memories for them and their children.

"Unfortunately, for some kids this may be a joke," Kahan said. "But every culture, every religion, every race has a history of persecution. When you awaken these horrible feelings, nobody wins."

Spring Valley Police Chief Paul Modica said Monday that the spray-painting could be viewed as a hate crime.

"We're ramped up anyway for the anniversary of 9/11 (Thursday)," he said. "We're taking this very seriously. It's a little odd popping up now."

The village Department of Public Works is power-washing the paint and Modica said detectives are checking whether any houses nearby might have surveillance video available.

This is not the first time recently that Nazi symbols have been found in Rockland County.

At the end of July, racist and anti-Semitic graffiti were spray-painted on property at a North Lincoln Street home in Pearl River. A week later, vandals peppered Van Houten Farms in Pearl River with anti-Semitic and vulgar graffiti. Orangetown police continue to investigate those incidents.

Anyone with information on the Spring Valley incident can call the police at 845-356-7400.