The Jewish observance of Passover begins at sundown Monday, making the discovery of a swastika at a San Francisco synagogue all the more disturbing, according to NBC11.

SLIDESHOW: Vandals Target SF Synagogue

Church officials had removed the swastika from the wall by mid-morning.

They told NBC11 they have called investigators to look into this incident. They said they hope they got a major clue about who may have defaced the temple from a security camera.

Vandals Target SF Synagogue

The graffiti was discovered on the day Jews around the world celebrate Passover, which marks their liberation from ancient slavery.

Head Rabbi Stephen Pearce said the discovery left him saddened, but not bitter.

"Of course the timing of at the time of Passover and Easter really seems to greater focus to people's disgust with something like that," Pearce said.

Temple Emanu-El (map) has been in San Francisco since the 1920s, but the congregation itself dates back to California's gold rush.

Pearce said incidents like this are rare, but not unheard of.

He said in the past 25 years, the temple has had one or two incidents like this one.

He said it usually ends up being the work of some disgruntled individual, a teenager, or someone very immature.

Police were called to the temple, located at the intersection of Lake Street and Arguello Boulevard, at about 8:30 a.m.

Investigators said due to the location, and the nature of what was scrawled on the wall, it goes way beyond a simple case of graffiti.

"Graffiti doesn't go up to our special investigations divisions, but hate crimes do," San Francisco police spokesman Doug Groshong said.

Mayor Gavin Newsom was quick to condemn the defacement of the city's largest Jewish temple.

"San Francisco is known as a city that embraces people of all faiths," Newsom said in a statement. "We strongly condemn this act of hatred and intolerance."

Monday is the First Seder of Passover, and the offices of Temple Emanu-El are currently closed until Wednesday morning following the Second Seder.

They also said the swastika on the wall hasn't diminished their faith in their fellow San Franciscans.

"We are living in a very diverse community where the Jewish community feels very supported, where we have wonderful relationships with the interfaith community, and our neighbors as well," Pearce said.