Fire Destroys Neturei Karta Synagoguge in Monsey, New York

There was a synagogue fire in Monsey, NY last night. The shul, part of a residence, was destroyed and investigators are calling it suspicious.

The shul belongs to the Neturei Karta, who doesn't believe in Israel's right to exist and whose members went to Iran to join in the Holocaust deniers' conference set up by Ahmadinejad. In fact, this group had no problem cozying up to Ahmadinejad and planting a fat one on his grubby cheek. Their repugnant actions have resulted in condemnations from Jewish groups across theological and political lines. Members of the group think that this may have played a role in the fire.

No one was injured in Sunday night's fire. A senior Neturei Karta rabbi and his family, who lived on the top floor of the three-story structure in Monsey, N.Y., were not home.

"It may in the future be found to be accidental, but at this time we're treating it as a suspicious fire and we're investigating it as such," said Sgt. Daniel Hyman of the Ramapo Police Department, which serves the suburban Rockland County community of Monsey, about 35 miles north of New York City.

The Neturei Karta has been the target of threats in the past because of their involvement in the anti-Zionism movement. The group does not dispute that the Holocaust occurred, said Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss of the Neturei Karta.

"There's no question that the issue is to stifle the opposition to Zionism," Weiss said of after the fire. "Anybody who would like to reveal to the world their opposition to this political, national movement of Zionism is attacked."

The fire was reported in a kitchen area shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, one day before the start to the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover.

When firefighters arrived, one side of the house was engulfed in flames and power lines had come down, Monsey Fire Chief Douglas Perry said. He said the building was destroyed.

All this comes right on the eve of Passover, so they're going to be without their shul and many priceless artifacts were damaged or destroyed including the Torah scrolls and prayer books.

The group, whose numbers are quite small, tend to get quite a bit of press because of their anti-Israel views and anti-Semites the world over usually seek this group out to attempt to split hairs and claim that they're not anti-Semitic but anti-Israel.