FBI says Mississippi synagogue arson was motivated by anti-Jewish hatred

Federal affidavit details confession, family tip, and damage to historic Jackson congregation

Standfirst / Intro
Federal investigators say a 19-year-old Mississippi man deliberately set fire to a historic synagogue in Jackson because it is a Jewish house of worship, reviving painful memories of past anti-Semitic violence at the same site. Authorities say the suspect confessed to the crime, described extremist motivations, and was reported to the FBI by his father after suffering burns during the attack.

Category: Crime and Justice
Subcategory: Hate Crimes
Regional Context Tag: U.S. Politics (Default: Global)

Charges and court proceedings

Stephen Pittman, 19, has been charged in federal court with maliciously damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive, according to an affidavit filed by the FBI in U.S. District Court in Mississippi. Prosecutors say the charge carries a potential sentence of five to 20 years in prison if he is convicted.

Pittman made his initial court appearance on Monday by video conference from a hospital bed, with both hands visibly bandaged. A public defender was appointed to represent him. He told the court he is a high school graduate and has completed three semesters of college.

When the judge advised him of his rights, Pittman responded aloud, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” according to reporters present at the hearing. He is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 20 for a preliminary and detention hearing.

The public defender assigned to the case did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi said Attorney General Pam Bondi has instructed prosecutors to seek what she described as severe penalties.

FBI affidavit outlines motive

According to the FBI affidavit, Pittman admitted to deliberately targeting Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson because it is a Jewish house of worship. Investigators say he referred to the building as “the synagogue of Satan” during questioning, language the FBI cited as evidence of religiously motivated intent.

The affidavit says Pittman’s father contacted federal authorities after his son confessed to setting the fire. The father told investigators he became alarmed after noticing burn marks on Pittman’s ankles, hands, and face.

Before the fire, Pittman allegedly texted his father a photograph of the rear of the synagogue, writing, “There’s a furnace in the back.” When urged to return home, Pittman reportedly replied that he was “due for a homerun” and added, “I did my research,” according to the filing.

Fire captured on surveillance video

The arson attack occurred shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday. No congregants or firefighters were injured, authorities said. Surveillance footage released by the synagogue shows a masked, hooded individual entering the building’s lobby and pouring liquid from a gas can onto the floor and a couch before igniting the fire.

Investigators say Pittman stopped at a gas station en route to the synagogue to buy fuel and removed his vehicle’s license plate before arriving. He allegedly used an ax to break a window, poured gasoline inside the building, and ignited it with a handheld torch lighter.

The FBI later recovered a burned cellphone believed to belong to Pittman and took possession of a hand torch that a congregant discovered after the fire.

Damage to a 165-year-old congregation

The blaze caused extensive damage to parts of the 165-year-old synagogue, including its library and administrative offices. Congregation officials said two Torah scrolls stored in the library were destroyed. Five Torahs kept inside the sanctuary were being assessed for smoke damage.

One Torah that survived the Holocaust was housed behind protective glass and was not damaged, according to the congregation. Torah scrolls hold deep religious and historical significance in Judaism, often taking months to handwrite and generations to preserve.

By Monday, yellow police tape blocked off entrances to the building, which was surrounded by broken glass and soot. Flowers and handwritten notes of apology were left near the entrance, reflecting an outpouring of local support.

Community response and resolve

“This news puts a face and name to this tragedy, but does not change our resolve to proudly — even defiantly — continue Jewish life in Jackson in the face of hatred,” Beth Israel Congregation said in a written statement.

Congregation president Zach Shemper said the synagogue intends to rebuild. He noted that several local churches have offered space for worship and community activities while repairs are underway. Shemper attended Pittman’s court appearance but declined to comment afterward.

Beth Israel serves a relatively small Jewish population in Mississippi’s capital, but it has long functioned as a central institution for Jewish life across the state. In addition to housing the congregation, the building is home to the Jewish Federation, which coordinates social services and philanthropy, and the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, which supports Jewish communities across 13 Southern states.

A Holocaust memorial is located outdoors behind the synagogue, underscoring the historical weight of the attack for congregants and observers alike.

A site with a history of violence

The synagogue’s history includes a previous act of racial and religious violence. Beth Israel was founded in 1860 and built Mississippi’s first synagogue after the Civil War. The congregation moved to its current location in 1967.

Not long after relocating, the synagogue was bombed by members of the Ku Klux Klan. Two months later, the home of its rabbi at the time, Perry Nussbaum, was also bombed.

Nussbaum had been an outspoken supporter of civil rights and a vocal opponent of segregation in Mississippi, a stance that placed him and the congregation at risk during that era.

Legacy of civil rights leadership

Rabbi Gary Zola, a historian of American Jewry and former professor at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, said Nussbaum’s leadership left a lasting imprint on Jewish life in Mississippi.

“At a time when opposing segregation in the Deep South could be dangerous, many congregants hoped he would stay quiet,” Zola said. “But he had this strong, strong sense of justice.”

Zola described Beth Israel as a flagship institution for Jewish life in Mississippi, noting that nearly every aspect of community life passed through its doors. Jewish summer camps in nearby Utica, Mississippi, have also helped maintain long-standing ties between the state and Jewish families across the region.

For congregants, the latest attack has reopened historical wounds while reinforcing a determination to endure. As investigators pursue federal hate crime charges, community leaders say their focus remains on rebuilding both the synagogue and the sense of safety surrounding it.