A suspect is charged with arson in a fire that burned through a synagogue in Mississippi. Flames and smoke destroyed its library, housing Torahs.
A suspect is charged with arson in a fire that burned through a synagogue in Mississippi. Flames and smoke destroyed its library, housing Torahs.Authorities have charged one person with arson in a fire that badly damaged Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Miss.
, early Saturday morning. The Jackson Fire Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the FBI are investigating."Crazy things happen all over the world and nothing really hits home until it actually hits directly home," he toldWhat we know about the rise in antisemitic attacks in Australia and around the world "As Jackson's only synagogue, Beth Israel is a beloved institution, and it is the fellowship of our neighbors and extended community that will see us through," he said.. In 1967, local Ku Klux Klan members bombed the place of worship and the home of the rabbi at the time, who had spoken out against racism and segregation. No one was hurt in the civil rights-era bombings or Saturday's fire. Charles Felton, Jackson Fire Department chief of fire investigations, told NPR in an interview on Sunday that flames and smoke caused extensive damage and destroyed Beth Israel's library, where he says the fire was started. The fire was reported to 911 just after 3 a.m. "All contents in that library are destroyed. There's not much that can be retrieved from the library area. The other portions of the building do not have actual fire damage, but they have damage as far as smoke and soot," he said.Former U.S. ambassador to Israel says D.C. shooting is part of an 'explosion' of antisemitism Shemper said the fire destroyed two Torahs, the Jewish sacred texts, and damaged five others. A Torah that survived the Holocaust was protected by a glass display case and was not damaged. The synagogue's Tree of Life plaque honoring congregants' meaningful occasions was destroyed. Shemper said the library, administrative offices and the lobby suffered the most damage. Surveillance video shows a man wearing a hoodie and a mask pouring liquid from a can inside the synagogue, according to Shemper. Felton said Jackson Fire investigators later received information from an area hospital that led them to the suspect, who was arrested Saturday evening."There was a suspect possibly burned at a local hospital," he told NPR."They did go to the hospital at which point they interviewed the person of interest and that person did confess to having involvement in the fire." The Jackson Fire Department's powers include the authority to charge suspects, according to Felton, who said the department has filed arson charges against the suspect, who authorities have not publicly named. He said federal authorities will make a determination on whether to pursue hate crime charges. The FBI's office in Jackson said in a statement that it was aware of the incident and was working with other law enforcement on the investigation."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,""With support from our community, we will rebuild. Beth Israel Congregation has been the Jewish spiritual home in Jackson, Mississippi, for over 160 years," said Shemper's statement."We are devastated but ready to rebuild."father and son opened fire on Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, last month. Fifteen people were killed and dozens were injured.
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