A fire was found outside Congregation Beth Israel in Austin, Texas Sunday, Oct. 31. (Photo/Austin Fire Department) News U.S. Fire set outside Austin, Texas synagogue following spate of antisemitic acts Facebook Twitter Email SMS WhatsApp Share By Shira Hanau, JTA | November 1, 2021 A fire set outside a synagogue in Austin, Texas follows a series of antisemitic incidents in the city in recent weeks. Police are investigating Sunday night’s fire at Congregation Beth Israel as a possible case of arson. The fire was discovered just one week after banners with the words “Vax the Jews” were hung by a neo-Nazi group from an overpass near the local JCC campus, which includes three synagogues and a Jewish day school The Austin Fire Department’s arson investigators responded to the fire at the synagogue, located about five miles from the JCC. There were no injuries. AFD on scene of a small exterior fire at Congregation Beth Israel 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd. fire is out. No injuries. Arson investigators responding to assist with cause determination. pic.twitter.com/hgMvJNAk5o — Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) November 1, 2021 It is not yet clear if the fire was intentionally set in an act of antisemitism. On Oct. 24, members of the neo-Nazi group Goyim Defense League hung banners with the message “Vax the Jews” from an overpass near several synagogues and the Shalom Austin JCC. Though officers from the Austin Police Department responded to the incident, similar banners were hung from the same overpass just a few days later on Oct. 26. The banner incident came just a few days after racist and antisemitic graffiti was discovered at Anderson High School, about a mile and a half from the JCC. After the banner incidents, Shalom Austin warned the Jewish community warning of possible further acts of antisemitism in the days to come. “For us here in Austin this is such an incredibly rare occurrence,” Harold Wilensky, Congregation Beth Israel’s interim executive director, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency of the disturbing events occurring within days of each other. “I don’t remember any time in the 45 years I’ve lived here where anything like this has happened. It’s a pretty tolerant place.” Wilensky said that the congregation’s security system had captured footage of the arsonist on video, and that local investigators would likely be able to identify the suspect from the footage. The leader of the Goyim Defense League, Jon Minadeo Jr., lives in Petaluma and has been connected with a number of antisemitic incidents in Northern California. Shira Hanau Shira Hanau is a reporter at JTA. She was previously a staff writer at the New York Jewish Week and has written for the Forward, Columbia Journalism Review and the Harvard Divinity Bulletin. JTA Content distributed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service. Also On J. TV Bay Area filmmaker Peter Stein smiles his way through ‘Jeopardy!’ Politics Biden’s Tree of Life anniversary statement worries both left and right Northern California Jewish winemakers press forward on a warming planet California Jewish orgs in California now eligible for $200,000 state security grants Subscribe to our Newsletter Enter Email Sign Up