A suspect has been taken into custody after a historic synagogue in Mississippi was badly damaged in a fire that authorities described on Sunday as an arson case.
According to officials, the blaze broke out shortly after 3am Saturday at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson. No one was hurt in the fire.
Images from the scene revealed blackened debris in an administrative office and the synagogue’s library, where multiple Torah scrolls were either destroyed or damaged. Members and leadership of the synagogue have pledged to restore the building.
Jackson’s mayor, John Horhn, said a suspect was taken into custody after an investigation involving the FBI and the joint terrorism taskforce.
“Acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred are attacks on Jackson as a whole and will be treated as acts of terror against residents’ safety and freedom to worship,” Horhn said in a statement. He did not identify the suspect or say what charges might be filed.
Beth Israel Congregation is the largest synagogue in Mississippi and the only one located in Jackson. It was previously targeted in a 1967 Ku Klux Klan bombing linked to the congregation’s involvement in civil rights efforts, according to the website.
This photo provided by Beth Israel Congregation shows damage sustained during a fire on Saturday in Jackson, Mississippi. Photograph: AP
“We are thankful no one was injured, but this wasn’t random vandalism – it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community,” Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement.
Michele Schipper, CEO of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life and a former president of the congregation, told the Associated Press that the synagogue is still evaluating the extent of the damage and has received messages of support from other faith communities.
Schipper said one Torah that survived the Holocaust was protected behind glass and was not harmed by the fire. Five Torahs kept in the sanctuary are being checked for smoke damage, while two Torahs in the library, the area that suffered the most destruction, were destroyed.
Soot coated the sanctuary’s floors, walls and ceiling, and the synagogue will need to replace carpeting and upholstered furnishings.
“We are devastated but ready to rebuild, and we are so appreciative of the outreach from the community,” said Schipper.
Jewish Federations of North America issued a statement describing the incident as an arson attack and saying the organization was “horrified and angered at the arson attack against Mississippi’s Jewish community”.
“The Jewish community is resilient and will not be intimidated. We will continue to work with law enforcement and our elected officials to ensure we can live our lives safely and Jewishly,” the organization added.
