Police Arrest Suspect in Burning of Sefer Torah

Police on Monday said they had arrested a suspect in the burning of a sefer Torah in Hadera. The suspect is a local resident. He was to be arraigned Monday morning, and police intend to ask for an extension of his remand as they collect further evidence.

Police said that the suspect, 35, lived on the synagogue’s property, and may have been mentally ill. The police statement did not discuss the culprit’s motive.

When the sefer Torah was burned is not clear, but it was found on Sunday in a trash can outside Hadera’s main synagogue. Mispallelim immediately called police, and removed the sefer Torah from the trash can and brought it back into the synagogue. According to mispallelim, the sefer Torah had not been kept in the aron kodesh because it was currently passul. A levayah for the sefer Torah is to be held this week, the synagogue said in a statement.