The Beth Israel synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, was set ablaze shortly after 3 a.m.; a suspect is in custody and federal authorities including the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating. No congregants were injured, but several Torahs were destroyed and the building sustained significant damage. Local and national Jewish organizations condemned the attack, noting the synagogue’s history of a 1967 KKK bombing; services are suspended while damage is assessed.
Mississippi Synagogue Set Ablaze in Apparent Arson; Suspect in Custody
Mississippi synagogue burned in arson attack, suspect in custody
A suspect was taken into custody Saturday after an apparent arson attack set Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, on fire, destroying multiple Torah scrolls and prompting a federal investigation involving the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson is the state’s largest synagogue. No congregants were injured, officials said.
The fire began shortly after 3 a.m. at Beth Israel, the largest synagogue in the state. Officials said no congregants were injured, though photos from the scene showed heavy damage to an administrative office and to the synagogue’s library, where several Torahs were destroyed or severely damaged.
Services at the synagogue will be suspended indefinitely following the fire.
“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.
Authorities did not immediately release the suspect’s name or specify the charges. Local investigators worked with federal partners including the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Zach Shemper, president of Beth Israel Congregation, stands in ashes outside the congregation’s temple hours after the building was damaged by fire Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 in Jackson, Miss.
Community Response and Historical Context
The Institute for Southern Jewish Life — which also operates from the synagogue building — noted that Beth Israel was previously targeted in a Ku Klux Klan bombing in 1967 linked to the congregation’s civil rights work. The institute said the synagogue is “a beloved institution” and expressed confidence that community support will help it recover.
National Jewish groups condemned the incident. The American Jewish Committee called the alleged attack “outraged” and warned it fits a troubling national pattern of rising antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League described the fire as a “deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community,” with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt urging swift condemnation and action from leaders and law enforcement.
Synagogue president Zach Shemper told Mississippi Today the congregation is assessing the damage and has suspended services indefinitely while recovery and repairs are planned. Reports also noted that one Torah that had survived the Holocaust was not damaged in the blaze.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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