Jews in the News: Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, compiled from a variety of news sources
By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
An arsonist set Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, ablaze, approximately at 3 am. Saturday morning when the building was unoccupied, but the damage was extensive. Two Torah scrolls were destroyed, and five others were damaged. A Holocaust Torah on display behind a glass case was still intact.
Police said they have detained a suspect, whom they have not yet identified. They said he sustained minor burns.
Beth Israel Congregation has canceled services indefinitely in the wake of the fire which arson investigators said started in the library and spread to the administrative offices of the congregation before it could be extinguished. Smoke damage was extensive throughout the Reform congregation, but flames did not reach either the sanctuary nor the offices of the The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, which among other responsibilities researches the history and present status of the Jews of Mississippi.
Jackson’s 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. 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.
“Jackson stands with Beth Israel and the Jewish community, and we’ll do everything we can to support them and hold accountable anyone who tries to spread fear and hate here.”
This is the same congregation that was bombed on Sept. 18, 1967, by local Ku Klux Klan members in retaliation for its then Rabbi Perry Nussbaum’s active support of the Civil Rights Movement. Soon thereafter Nussbaum’s home was bombed. In both instances, no one was hurt.
Zach Shemer, president of the congregation, said several churches have offered their facilities for the Jewish congregation to hold services pending its cleansing. “We are a resilient people. With the support from the community, we will rebuild.”
Michele Schipper, CEO of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) and a past president of Beth Israel Congregation, commented “We’re all devastated, but we are ready to rebuild, and with the support and outreach from our community, we will continue to be a vibrant Jewish community in Jackson, Mississippi.”
This was reiterated in an unsigned statement from ISJL which said: “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,”
The congregation was organized in 1860 as a traditional Jewish synagogue, but after the Civil War, its rabbi introduced elements of the Reform liturgy, eventually leading to its affiliation with the American Union of Hebrew Congregations.
In alphabetical order, in the first block are some Jewish communal reactions. In the second bock are reactions from prominent, non-Jewish officials
Jewish Communal Reactions
—Jim Berk, CEO of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles: “It was an assault on the heart of Jewish life in the South, and on a legacy shaped in partnership. A house of worship should be a sanctuary, not a crime scene. When antisemitism strikes, it tears at the fabric of American life, wounding not just Jews but all who believe in freedom of faith. The solidarity shown across faiths and communities is a reminder that our strength lies in standing together against bigotry and violence.”
—Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee: Waking to the news of an arson attack on a Mississippi synagogue feels all too familiar. This description is chilling. We stand with the Jackson community. Grateful that law enforcement has apprehended a suspect. Glad the Mayor has spoken out. Now will you touch base with your Jewish friends, neighbors and co-workers? Let them know that you understand this attack in Jackson is an attack on them as well. Tell them you stand with the Jewish community. It will mean more than you know.”
—Lindsay Baach Friedmann, South Central Regional director of the Anti-Defamation League: ““The fact that this historic synagogue … has once again been targeted is particularly painful and disturbing. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
—Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League: “This wasn’t random vandalism — it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community. This wasn’t random vandalism — it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community.”
—Sheila Katz, chief Jewish life officer at Jewish Federations of North America: “Regardless of the findings of the investigation, this is what it means to be Jewish in America right now: antisemitic violence and attacks on synagogues and Jews are so common that they barely register beyond local news, and the people most often naming it, mourning it, and sounding the alarm are Jews themselves. It also means this: the Jewish community in Mississippi will come together. They will support one another and be supported by Jews they don’t know around the country and the world. They will rebuild. They will continue to celebrate Jewish holidays and live Jewish life with joy.”
—Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress: “Beth Israel Congregation in Mississippi was once firebombed during the civil rights movement for standing on the right side of justice. To see it targeted again this Shabbat is a chilling reminder that hatred never just disappears—it resurfaces when left unchallenged. Incidents like this are fueled by an increasingly radicalized society, emboldened by the unchecked spread of hate across social media. Antisemitism and extremism are once again surging and must be confronted with vigor and clear, decisive action.”
—Deborah Lipstadt, former U.S. special envoy to combat antisemitism: This arson attack is “another step in the globalization of the intifada.”
—Amy Spitalnick, CEO of The Jewish Council for Public Affairs: “This weekend’s horrifying arson attack on the largest synagogue in Mississippi comes alongside a dramatic increase in hate and violence targeting Jewish communities and institutions around the globe, compounding our fear and vulnerability at this already challenging moment. Our hearts are with Beth Israel Congregation and the entire Mississippi Jewish community at this incredibly difficult time. All of our leaders have an obligation to speak out, stand with the Jewish community in meaningful ways, and work to build strong coalitions and advance holistic approaches to counter hate, violence, and extremism wherever it exists. This crisis threatens Jews, all communities, and our democracy — and until it’s treated with the seriousness and urgency it deserves, none of us will be safe.”
–Carole Zawatsky, CEO of The Tree of Life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where in 2018 a shooter killed 11 people: “We mourn the destruction and the loss of security and safety that comes in the aftermath of such violence. The intentional burning of a Jewish house of worship — especially one with a storied history — causes fear and raises the specter of antisemitism and hate.”
Reactions from Non-Jewish Elected Officials and Prominent Individuals
Charles Felton, Jackson Fire Department’s chief fire investigator: “A lot of times we hear things happening throughout the country in other parts, and we feel like this wouldn’t happen in our part. A lot of people are in disbelief that this would happen here in Jackson, Mississippi.”
Rev. Dr. CJ Rhodes, pastor of the Mount Helm Baptist Church in Jackson: “That history [of the previous bombing] reminds us that attacks on houses of worship, whatever their cause, strike at the heart of our shared mutual life.”
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-New York): “Domestic terrorism against Jews never happens in a vacuum. Instead of extinguishing the fires of antisemitism, American politics is often guilty of fanning the flames.”
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi): “Our hearts are with the members of Beth Israe Congregation. We stand together with them as do all the caring people of Mississippi. We denounce violence and find attacks on places of worship especially despicable.”
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World