A Mississippi Synagogue Was Attacked in 1967 and 2026. The Antisemitic Rhetoric Looked the Same Then and Now.

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 11 min read 100% complete by Jennifer Berry HawesFebruary 4, 2026 at 12:00 PM

AI Summary

long article 11 min

In 1967, the Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. Almost 60 years later, in January 2024, the same synagogue was damaged by arson. The alleged perpetrator, Stephen Spencer Pittman, a 19-year-old, admitted to setting the fire due to the synagogue's "Jewish ties," referring to it as a "synagogue of Satan." This phrase echoes antisemitic rhetoric used by KKK leader Samuel Bowers in 1968, following the initial bombing. The recent fire destroyed the synagogue's library and sacred texts, forcing the congregation to suspend worship services. The FBI is investigating the arson as a hate crime.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Jack Nelson 40% Thomas Tucker 50% Ku Klux Klan ×270% White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan ×280% Beth Israel Congregation ×390% Samuel Bowers ×2100% Stephen Spencer Pittman 100%

Keywords

antisemitism 100% synagogue attack 90% hate crime 80% ku klux klan 70% religious hate 70% beth israel congregation 60% arson 50% samuel bowers 50% synagogue of satan 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.80

Source Transparency

Source

ProPublica

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Beth Israel Congregation

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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antisemitism synagogue attack hate crime ku klux klan religious hate beth israel congregation arson samuel bowers synagogue of satan

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