Torah Scrolls Destroyed in Attack on Civil Rights Era Synagogue

State and federal authorities have arrested an unnamed suspect for arson following a fire that severely damaged Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, early Saturday, January 10, 2026. The blaze destroyed the synagogue’s library and two Torah scrolls. While no injuries occurred, the attack has drawn sharp parallels to a 1967 Ku Klux Klan bombing of the same institution. Jackson Mayor John Horhn condemned the act as “antisemitism” and “terror.” This incident occurs as the Anti-Defamation League reports record-breaking numbers of antisemitic incidents across the United States. Federal agents are currently investigating potential hate crime charges.

Yes, a suspect is in custody after admitting to setting the fire that devastated parts of Beth Israel Congregation this weekend. Investigators confirmed that the fire, which started in the library around 3:00 a.m. Saturday, was an act of arson. The suspect was arrested at a local hospital while seeking treatment for burns. This attack destroyed sacred texts and damaged the administrative wing of the only synagogue in Jackson, an institution with a history of being targeted by white supremacists.

This incident is not an isolated event but a specific legal and cultural inflection point. It forces federal prosecutors to determine if the arson meets the strict statutory definition of a hate crime under federal law. Furthermore, it connects modern antisemitic violence directly to the civil rights era, as this specific congregation was previously bombed by the KKK for supporting racial integration.

We do not know the name of the suspect because he is currently hospitalized and has not yet been processed through the criminal justice system. Jackson Police and the FBI are adhering to strict pre-arraignment protocols. The suspect confessed to the burning of Beth Israel Congregation while receiving treatment for severe burns, but he has not physically stood before a judge or had a booking photo taken. Until he is medically cleared and formally charged, his identity remains a matter of non-public police record.

The Jackson Fire Department responded to a call at 5315 Old Canton Road shortly after 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 10. Firefighters found heavy flames concentrated in the library and administrative offices.