The arson fire that heavily damaged Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, has enraged Jews across the U.S., particularly Gail and Bill Moskowitz.

The longtime Richmond Jewish community members lived in Jackson for seven years.

Gail reached out to a good friend in Jackson immediately and noted, “This attack is devastating and heart-breaking to this close-knit Jewish community. The Synagogue has so much history, going back to 1860, and is beloved.”

Gail’s friend told her, ‘The support locally and throughout the country is heartwarming.  A church next to the Synagogue has quickly offered space, so we can gather there. Still, it will take time to process and get through.”

In an article in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger on January 29, Ellie Rudee, Marketing and Content Manager with The Union for Reform Judaism, wrote, in part, “In the quiet aftermath of the arson at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, many described a feeling that was deeper than shock.”

“It was the sense of being shaken in body and spirit at once — of seeing a beloved communal home violated and, with it, the fragile sense of safety that small Jewish communities work so hard to build and sustain.”

“Beth Israel is more than a building. Founded in 1860, it is a spiritual anchor for generations of Mississippi Jews; a place where prayer, learning and Jewish life have endured through war, social upheaval and profound change.”

“The fire damaged walls and rooms, books and belongings, but did not diminish the bonds that hold this community together.”

“Rebuilding will take time. There are practical steps ahead and hard work to be done. Yet even now, something essential has already been restored. Relationships have deepened. Commitments have been reaffirmed. The meaning of community has been made visible.”

“Beth Israel Congregation stands today as it always has — not untouched by harm but guided by lived Jewish values. Rooted in Southern Jewish resilience and strengthened by relationships near and far, this community continues its holy work: being a light to Jackson, and a light to the wider world.”

“The wider Jackson community responded with compassion and resolve. Interfaith partners opened their doors and their hearts, offering not only physical space but spiritual solidarity. One local church welcomed Beth Israel into its sanctuary, transforming an act of hate into a moment of shared holiness.”

“Beyond Jackson, Jewish communities across the country reached out in solidarity, offering care and support. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) mobilized emergency response efforts, offering resources and accompaniment while affirming a core Jewish value: — mutual responsibility. When one community is harmed, the entire community stands with them.”

On January 12, the Union for Reform Judaism issued the following statement. 

“Our hearts are with Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, and with the entire Jewish community as they recover from this act of antisemitism. We are deeply grateful that no one was injured, even as we acknowledge that this arson joins a horrifying and growing list of attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions.” 

“An attack on a synagogue is an attack on the fundamental freedom to worship without fear. Antisemitism and religious hatred have no place in our society — ever — and the perpetrator must be held fully accountable.” 

“We stand in solidarity with Beth Israel, its clergy, and the Jackson Jewish community. We thank first responders and law enforcement for their swift response and pray for strength, healing, and resilience in the days ahead.”