Mulhouse, France – The central synagogue in the French town of Mulhouse was burnt down on Saturday, and the local Jewish community suspects it was an act of arson ahead of the Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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The building caught fir during Shabbat prayers and sustained heavy damages. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
At approximately 11 am, while walking to synagogue, Mulhouse resident Mirriam Brown told Ynet she was surprised to see smoke billowing from the structure’s windows.
“It is a big synagogue and the smoke was rising from the area where there were no worshipers,” she said.
The worshipers present at the time were busy with their Shabbat Mussaf prayer, and did not notice the smoke and flames that were blazing through the synagogue basement.
“I called the fire department, went into the synagogue and warned the worshipers,” said Brown, “Everyone evacuated quickly and began removing the Torah books, praying shawls and Holy Scriptures. The worshippers were soon joined by fire fighters who helped with the evacuation.”
According to Brown, “The ancient synagogue sustained heavy damage and was completely obliterated inside – everything was burnt down.” Brown added that in the foreseen future, the worshipers will have to wander to other synagogues due to the bad condition of their own place of worship.
Mulhouse’s Jewish community, which numbers a few thousand members, are awaiting the results of the investigation into the fire. Local Jewish sources said they fear the fire was deliberate, after the synagogue was already defaced earlier this year with anti-Semitic graffiti slogans.
“The largest concentration camp in France was built nearby during the Holocaust. There is a very anti-Semitic atmosphere around and I won’t be surprised if it was arson,” Brown’s cousin, Ilan Shaked, who has spent time in Mulhouse, told Ynet.
“The proximity of the event to Holocaust Remembrance Day raises speculation, especially since there is a very large Muslim population around here,” he added.
This is how it c”v starts
How did she capture these images?
I’m not aware if Kosher Innovations the maker of KosherLamp came out with a Shabbos Camera.
If there is one please post it here as I would like to buy it.
This is getting really scary…
In the city where Alfred Dreyfus was born, it appears that there is still much antisemitism, just as there was then.
france has always been the armpit of the world
Time to leave and give it to the Muslims. France made its bed, now it has to sleep in it.
Just as I believe that Jews should not live in germany or in spain, I believe that Jews should leave the cesspool known as france. These anti-semite frogs deserve the muslims that have infested their country. france is a beautiful country that is marred by having french people living in it. Until that country develops a backbone to resist outside influence ( from germans during WWII and from the muslims now) Jews should leave and boycott anything french. Yom Hashoah is a great time to re-examine what happened to the Jews of france. The french resistance is an oxi-moron,
Wowwie! Now I know where that common poster (“Millhouse”) got his alias from, although he misspelled it just slightly.
I have to say that I am a little surprised by some of the comments.
First, how can someone judge another jew just by seeing a few pictures?
Who told anyone that it was she that took them?
We have to be Dan Lekaf Zechus.
It doesn’t make sense to me how the first reaction to a tragedy like this one is an accusation on the person who reported the news.
The right reaction should be sorrow
Now about the Jews living in France, well I am one of them, and let me tell you something, you are right, it’s not easy, but what choice do we have?
We can’t come to the US since the immigration laws are so tough (I lived in the US for years and still they didn’t allow me to have a work permit or a green card, forcing me to move back in France); and even going to Israel isn’t that easy with the economic, social, and other problems Israelis are facing
So for many jews, it’s not a choice, but a necessity to live in France
We have no place to be
So instead of passing a judgment on the French Jews or that lady who submitted the pictures, let’s pray Hashem so he sends us the Moshiach soon
Now as far as the incident is concern, according to the chief of the firefighter, it wasn’t arson, it was accidental.
From what I read here, I must say that no matter who did or did not do that (muslim or not) there are more dangerous people and unfortunately you find them all around the world, usually they are called A**holes or Bullies