Rabbi's SUV Catches Fire Outside Atlantic City Synagogue on Rosh Hashanah

Officials are investigating a fire that destroyed a rabbi’s SUV that was parked outside an Atlantic City Synagogue on Rosh Hashanah.

Rabbi David Kushner of the Rodef Sholom Synagogue tells NBC10 he parked his Ford Explorer in the temple’s parking lot Wednesday and left it there as he walked home. Around 2 a.m. Thursday, firefighters were called to the scene after the vehicle somehow caught fire.

Kushner volunteers at the Hatzolah EMS in Monmouth County. The fire destroyed his SUV as well as his EMT equipment inside. The flames also caused minor damage to the synagogue.

Kushner told NBC10 he believes the fire was set intentionally.

“It’s hurtful but it’s not anger,” Kushner said. “It’s more of a sadness that this is a reality in our time. I think it behooves all of us to be aware that these types of actions happen in the world and to be vigilant in order to prevent it.”

Several Holocaust survivors and their families attend Rodef Sholom. While police have not determined a cause of the fire, they tell NBC10 they’re not ruling out the possibility that the blaze was a hate crime and intentionally set. 

“The high holidays are a time of introspection and looking at the past and looking forward into the future,” Rabbi Kushner said. “To have an incident like this puts a real damper on the holiday.”

With Yom Kippur beginning Friday night, police plan on increasing patrols around the Synagogue. Synagogue leaders also tell NBC10 they’re in the process of hiring their own private security.

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