By Chris Boyette, CNN
(CNN) — A fire tore through Beth Israel, the only synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, on Saturday, leaving the congregation forced to rebuild from the ashes — again.
Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the fire, which remains under investigation, but it comes amid a wave of antisemitic attacks in recent years.
The fire occurred around 3 a.m., according to Jackson Mayor John Horhn. “The Jackson Fire Department responded quickly, contained the blaze and extinguished the fire,” Horhn said.
This isn’t the first time the synagogue has burned. On September 18, 1967, Beth Israel’s temple was bombed by local Ku Klux Klan members, in part because of the congregation’s work in the civil rights movement, according to the synagogue’s website.
The congregation intends to rebuild its “beloved institution,” said Zach Shemper, the congregation’s president.
“We are a resilient people. With the support from the community, we will rebuild. Beth Israel Congregation has been the Jewish spiritual home in Jackson, MS for over 160 years,” Shemper said.
The congregation is still assessing the damage but will continue worship services and other programs, and several local churches have offered Beth Israel the use of their buildings as they rebuild, Shemper said.
A suspect is expected to face arson charges, according to Charles Felton, chief of investigations for the Jackson Fire Department’s Arson Investigation Division.
The suspect was found at a local hospital with non-life-threatening burn injuries and, once medically cleared, will be released into the custody of the FBI, which is also expected to file charges, Felton said.
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 that there is smoke damage throughout the building, meaning the congregation will not be able to return for some time.
Several Torah scrolls were destroyed, according to the American Jewish Committee, which condemned the incident as a “hateful act.”
CNN has reached out to Beth Israel for comment and additional details about the damage to the synagogue.
The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, a nonprofit that provides services, education, and programming to support, connect, and celebrate Jewish life in the South, is based at Beth Israel, and many of its employees are members of the congregation.
“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,” a statement from the institute said.
In the US, antisemitic incidents have been on the rise for several years, with Anti-Defamation League data showing the number for 2024 reached its highest level since the organization began tracking in 1979. According to the FBI, which enforces federal hate crime laws and collects statistics on acts of violence, threats against Jews in the US far exceed those against any other religious group.
“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. “Targeting people because of their faith, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is morally wrong, un-American, and completely incompatible with the values of this city.”
CNN’s Rafael Romo contributed to this report.
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