The firebombing of Beth Israel in Mississippi strikes at the heart of religious freedom, dignity and peace

In the early morning hours of Jan. 11, 2026, flames tore through Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi — the state's largest and oldest synagogue. The fire destroyed the library, two sacred Torahs and the Tree of Life plaque honoring generations of meaningful moments. But this was not an accident. This was an act of deliberate hate. 

According to an FBI criminal complaint, 19-year-old Stephen Spencer Pittman confessed to breaking a window with an axe, pouring gasoline inside and...