Arson on a Mississippi Synagogue

Any attack on a house of worship is a calamity. But this particular attack especially touches and enrages me. The latest attack was the burning down of a synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, the oldest in the state.

From CNN:

The suspect in an investigation of a fire at a prominent Jackson, Mississippi, synagogue confessed to starting the blaze because of its ‘Jewish ties,’ according to a criminal complaint submitted by the FBI. The suspect set fire to Beth Israel Congregation – the state’s largest Jewish house of worship – early Saturday, using gasoline as an accelerant, the complaint alleges, heavily damaging the structure.

The criminal who committed this terrible act is Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19 years old. He called the building the “synagogue of Satan.” After he set the building on fire, he called his father, who urged him to turn himself in. When he didn’t, his father called the authorities.

This synagogue has a long and special history in Mississippi.

Founded in 1860, Beth Israel Congregation built the first synagogue in the state of Mississippi and has grown in recent decades to be the state’s largest congregation, according to its website. The fire occurred around 3 a.m., according to Jackson Mayor John Horhn. Beth Israel Congregation. Several Torah scrolls were destroyed, according to the American Jewish Committee. Investigators determined the fire started in the synagogue’s library, which sustained extensive damage, and the destruction continued toward the sanctuary, Felton said. He added there is smoke damage throughout the building, meaning the congregation will not be able to return for some time.

This event was not the first time the synagogue had been set afire. The Ku Klux Klan firebombed the facility in 1967 because the rabbi who led the congregation had been a known civil rights advocate. Although rebuilding will be costly and time-consuming, perhaps the greatest tragedy is the destruction of the sacred Torah scrolls.

Meanwhile, the outpouring of community support has been overwhelming. Leaders of other religious communities are figuring out how to provide space for the Beth Israel Congregation to hold services.

Amidst the tragedy of this incident as just one more example of anti-Semitism, I have gratitude for the community response, that no one died in the fire, that the arsonist was caught and that the congregation is determined to rebuild.

As we’ve watched the leaders of other communities around the country show disrespect for their citizens, Mississippi can be proud of its response:

‘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,’ Jackson Mayor John Horhn said in a statement Sunday, condemning the fire and pledging support for the synagogue and the broader community.

[Hat tip to @ctlaw for passing it on.]