AUSTIN, Texas — In a newsletter sent to its members, Congregation Beth Israel gave an update on the severity of the damage in its synagogue after a man lit a fire at the entrance in October. The synagogue said the damage is a lot more severe than initially thought.
The arson at the synagogue came after an anti-Semitic banner was displayed multiple times over MoPac Expressway. In its Nov. 9 newsletter, the synagogue said it is continuing to work with authorities, who announced late Wednesday that a suspect in the case had been arrested and charged.
According to the newsletter, as professionals continue to inspect the damage to the synagogue, they are continuing to uncover more severe damage.
"What we initially thought (and hoped) amounted to minimal, external damage to the Sanctuary doors, has turned out to be much more extensive," the newsletter read.
Because of the extensive smoke damage, the leaders said every surface needs to be scrubbed down, and a lot of furniture will need to be torn out and replaced.
The company handling the remediation also found asbestos in the building, which means some surfaces will need to be rebuilt in order to remove it.
The synagogue has opened a portal on its website to accept online donations. The synagogue said that as of Nov. 9, about 10 days after the fire, leaders have received over $33,000 in donations.
"Of course, this is a fraction of what it will take to make our Temple home whole again, but it’s extremely encouraging," the newsletter read.
Because the damage is so extensive, this means that Shabbat and other services will not be held at the sanctuary for some time. Instead, services will be held at Smith Auditorium for quite some time.
On Friday, Nov. 12, Beth Israel will test live-streaming services from the Smith Auditorium space, which means it will be online only. If the test goes well, Shabbat services will be held in the same place in person on Nov. 19 and Nov. 20.
The suspect approached the synagogue carrying a 5-gallon olive green "jerry can"-style container. He then left the scene carrying the container. AFD said the suspect's actions were captured via video surveillance.
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