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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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A suspect has been arrested following an arson attack on Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, that heavily damaged the historic synagogue early Saturday morning, according to chief fire investigator Charles Felton.
The fire, reported shortly after 3 a.m., destroyed two Torah scrolls and damaged five others while reducing the library and administrative offices to charred ruins, Mississippi Today reported. The Jackson Fire Department, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the arrest Saturday night after investigators ruled the blaze arson.
No congregants were injured in the fire, which erupted during Shabbat, the weekly Jewish day of rest. The synagogue has suspended services indefinitely, according to congregation president Zach Shemper.
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Newsweek reached out to the FBI and ATF via email on Sunday for comment.
The Context
The attack on Beth Israel Congregation—Mississippi's largest synagogue and Jackson's only one—comes amid escalating antisemitic incidents nationwide and targets the same house of worship the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) bombed in 1967 because the rabbi supported civil rights, the Associated Press reported. The deliberate nature of the attack has heightened concerns about religious violence, particularly as Jewish congregations in Pittsburgh, the San Diego area, and Colleyville, Texas, have faced attacks in recent years.
Investigators have not yet determined whether the fire constitutes a hate crime, though the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force are involved in the investigation.
What To Know
The fire caused extensive damage to the synagogue's northeast wing, with six windows now covered in plywood and a melted security camera visible on the building's exterior, Mississippi Today reported. Two Torahs were destroyed in the library, where the most severe damage occurred, while five additional scrolls in the sanctuary sustained smoke damage. One Torah that survived the Holocaust, protected in a glass case, remained undamaged.
The blaze also destroyed the synagogue's Tree of Life, a plaque honoring special occasions for congregants including bar and bat mitzvahs, the news outlet reported. Congregant David Edelstein, who typically attends Saturday morning services, initially believed lightning from overnight thunderstorms had caused the fire and flew a drone over the building to investigate before learning authorities had ruled it arson. While helping assess damage, Edelstein discovered a book in the charred library lying open to the Shema, one of Judaism's most important prayers that reads, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one."
The 1967 KKK bombing similarly damaged the synagogue's administrative offices and library without injuring congregants, Mississippi Today reported. Rabbi Perry Nussbaum told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency at the time that "bigots" were responsible, potentially inspired by antisemitic campaign materials used in that year's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Several local houses of worship have offered support to Beth Israel following the attack. The state Homeland Security Office is assisting with the investigation alongside federal authorities, according to Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin Holloway.
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What People Are Saying
FBI spokesperson told Newsweek on Sunday: "The FBI is aware of the incident at the Beth Israel Synagogue on Old Canton Road and the FBI is working with law enforcement partners on this investigation."
ATF New Orleans Field Division told Newsweek on Sunday: "ATF responded to the fire at Beth Isreal Synagogue and provided assistance. This incident remains an active and on-going investigation. The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi."
Jackson Mayor John Horhn said in a statement: "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. I would hope that all Mississippians and all Jacksonians would commit themselves toward moving beyond such behavior and activity and find a way where we can all get together and get along."
Congregation President Zach Shemper said in a statement: "We have already had outreach from other houses of worship in the Jackson area and greatly appreciate their support in this very difficult time."
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a Sunday statement: "This wasn't random vandalism—it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community. That it has been attacked again, amid a surge of antisemitic incidents across the US, is a stark reminder: antisemitic violence is escalating, and it demands total condemnation and swift action from everyone."
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a statement on Sunday: "We welcome the swift arrest of a suspect in this disturbing arson attack on a synagogue and commend law enforcement for taking decisive action. Houses of worship should always be places of peace and safety, never targets of hatred or violence. We call on elected officials, faith leaders and community leaders to work together to confront antisemitic hate and to protect the civil and religious rights of all communities."
What Happens Next
Authorities are expected to release the suspect's identity and formal charges in the coming days.
The FBI continues investigating alongside local law enforcement to determine a possible motive for the attack.
Beth Israel Congregation leadership is assessing the full extent of damages while coordinating with local religious communities for temporary worship arrangements as they plan rebuilding efforts.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Update 1/11/26, 6:05 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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