Chabad of Charlotte County is reeling after a fire was intentionally set at their synagogue on Sept. 19. The arson was discovered by an alert sent out to the fire department. Rabbi Simon Jacobson described his arrival at the scene.
"My first concern was for the Torah scrolls. I knew no one was inside at the time, and I was grateful for that. The next thought was: What could have caused this?" Rabbi Jacobson said. "I was pained to see that it was caused by an individual."
The attack appears to be an act of arson, with a device thrown into the building’s classroom. The scrolls remained unscathed in the other room and while no injuries were reported, the fire left behind significant damage. In addition to the fire, large black “J” symbols were spray-painted on the building’s exterior. In 1938, the letter “J” was stamped on all Jewish German passports for identification.
Despite the destruction, Rabbi Jacobson remains positive. “With God’s help, this will make us better and stronger, that’s our hope.” While the scent of smoke still lingers in the air, the synagogue’s leadership is focused on continuing their planned activities, including a community dinner in celebration of the Jewish New Year. "Most of the damage is contained to one area of the building," Rabbi Jacobson noted.
Punta Gorda authorities are investigating the fire as a hate crime and have identified a person of interest. However, no further details have been released. The synagogue is currently accepting donations through its website to aid in repairs and recovery. Rabbi Jacobson sends a last message to the community.
“Shanah Tovah U'Metukah, happy sweet new year.”
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