Arson suspect arrested after German synagogue fire

(Sept.19, 2026 / JNS) A 37-year-old Afghan man was arrested on suspicion of setting fire on Thursday afternoon to the Bergische Synagogue in Wuppertal, western Germany, three days before Yom Kippur.Prosecutors said he had made antisemitic remarks at the scene, according to the German Press Agency (DPA).The suspect is believed to have hurled two bags containing flammable liquid at the synagogue, poured the contents of a third bag near a side entrance, and then set the liquid ablaze.Synagogue staff were able to extinguish the flames within minutes, while the arsonist fled the scene.

No injuries were reported.Two women are believed to have witnessed the deed, DPA reported.The suspect has a previous conviction for threatening a neighbor, the report cited prosecutors as saying.The mayor of Wuppertal described the attack as “utterly despicable” and called on residents to show solidarity with the Jewish community.Several Jewish organizations condemned the attack.“The timing is particularly disturbing as Jewish communities prepare for the holiest day of the Jewish calendar,” the European Jewish Congress, an organization representing 2.5 million Jews across Europe, said in a statement.“Attacks timed around Jewish holidays are part of a pattern intended to spread fear and push Jewish life out of the public sphere,” the EJC continued.“Jews must be able to enter a synagogue, practice their faith and celebrate the High Holidays safely and without fear,” it added.US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun wrote on X that while the attack is an attempt to strike fear in the hearts of Jews who observe their faith, “It will not succeed.” Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update.

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