12 January—First, some facts about the latest shocking but not particularly surprising Mississippi burning: Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson (which, lest we forget, is Mississippi’s capital and the City with Soul) is the oldest synagogue in the Magnolia State, having been founded in 1860. Not surprisingly, it’s also said to be the state’s largest Jewish congregation, although specific parishioner figures aren’t available. It’s also the only synagogue in Jackson.

Beth Israel survived a bombing by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 and has been vandalized more recently with all the usual stuff, like broken windows and antisemitic graffiti.

Beth Israel in Jackson follows the Reform branch of Judaism, which is essentially Ethical Culture with religious dogma and ritual thrown in. (But it’s more accurate to say that Ethical Culture, founded by lapsed Reform Jew Felix Adler, is Reform Judaism with religious dogma and ritual thrown out.)

The torching of the Beth Israel Synagogue very early Saturday morning destroyed significant parts of the building and consumed, among other things, two Torahs and damaged five others, but missed one that had survived the Holocaust, which was on display rather than in the Aron Hakodesh (Holy Ark), the cabinet they’re kept in.

The only person injured in the torching was the alleged arsonist, whose identity and other information haven’t yet been made public. No surprise that no one else was injured, since congregants aren’t normally on the premises at 3 a.m. The perp evidently was careless or just a screw-up because he checked in at a local hospital to get what must have been fairly serious burns treated. That’s where he was arrested.

Although they may be going out on a limb, Jackson police speculate that the firebug schmuck was motivated by anti-Jewish sentiment. But not to worry, because with all the municipal, state, and federal agencies on the case now, we’ll soon find out. Or not.

Now, comment on the latest shocking but not particularly surprising Mississippi burning: There are Jews in Mississippi?!