A historic Old City synagogue was targeted with arson, vandalism and attempted burglary in a series of events that occurred within a period of less than 12 hours Tuesday, according to police.
It all began at around 2:15 a.m., when officers and firefighters responded to a blaze in a dumpster outside Congregation Mikveh Israel, located near 4th and Arch streets, authorities said. Investigators said the fire damaged one of the synagogue’s windows.
PPD released footage showing the suspect inside the dumpster, with smoke and flames rising from the container soon after. Detectives described the arsonist as a white man with a thin build and facial hair who was wearing a blue hat, gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, gray sneakers and a backpack.
Several hours later, at around 6:30 a.m., two men tried to break into the synagogue, investigators said. Police added that they did not gain entry, though a fence and door were damaged.
A surveillance clip posted by authorities appears to show them examining the charred dumpster before turning their attention to a gate. One of the suspects was riding a small scooter, according to investigators.
Just before 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, police officers were back at Congregation Mikveh Israel, after someone used a marker to scribble profanities on a statue connected to the synagogue, authorities said.
No arrests have been reported, and it is not clear if and how the three incidents are related. Anyone with information is asked to contact the PPD’s Central Detective Division at 215-686-3093 or call or text 215-686-TIPS (8477).
Congregation Mikveh Israel dates back to a 1740 Jewish burial ground and is considered the oldest continuously operating synagogue in the United States.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, in a statement Wednesday, said that the congregation has been “repeatedly targeted by acts of antisemitic vandalism” in recent months.
“Let us be unequivocal: these are acts of antisemitism, a vile expression of Jew hatred that threatens not only the Jewish community but the very fabric of our American society,” the organization continued. “We, the Jewish community, call on public officials and our communal partners to stand united in condemning this abhorrent hatred.”
Reports of anti-semitic incidents in the U.S. have skyrocketed in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
