The American Jewish Congress is deeply shocked by the arson attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Jackson, Mississippi. This disturbing act has inflicted significant damage on a historic Jewish house of worship, shaking the sense of safety and security for Jewish life in this city and across the United States.
According to published reports, the fire heavily damaged the synagogue’s library and administrative offices, reducing parts of the only synagogue in the city to charred ruins. Two Torah scrolls were destroyed and five others damaged in the blaze, though one Torah that survived the Holocaust remained unharmed. Law enforcement authorities arrested a suspect in connection with the incident. No congregants were injured in the fire.
This painful attack resonates deeply with the congregation’s history. As reported in the media, in 1967, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the then-new Beth Israel building in response to the then-rabbi’s active support for the civil rights movement and human rights for all. That attack was rooted in the same ideology of hatred that once targeted Black Americans and now resurfaces in antisemitic violence. The current fire evokes that legacy not as a relic of the past, but as a stark reminder that hatred and bigotry, whether directed at Jews, Black Americans, Latinos, Muslims, or other communities, remain deeply interconnected and dangerously persistent.
The American Jewish Congress stands firmly with the Jewish community of Jackson. We strengthen and uplift this community in the face of hatred and fear, affirming that you are not alone and that our shared values of dignity, justice, and mutual respect will prevail.
This attack comes at a moment when antisemitism in the United States is reaching alarming and unprecedented levels, and Jewish communities across the country are confronting a sharp rise in threats, intimidation, and acts of violence. These are profoundly difficult times for American Jewry.
The American Jewish Congress will continue to stand in solidarity with Congregation Beth Israel and Jewish communities nationwide, and to work with partners and leaders to ensure that antisemitism is confronted with moral clarity, unwavering resolve, and a firm commitment to justice and safety for all.
