Federal prosecutors have charged Stephen Spencer Pittman with arson after a fire severely damaged Beth Israel, the oldest and largest synagogue in Mississippi. Investigators say Pittman targeted the synagogue specifically for its 'Jewish ties,' as revealed in messages to his father and a confession following his arrest. Surveillance footage and location data placed Pittman at the scene, and his father alerted authorities after Pittman admitted responsibility and showed burn injuries. The fire destroyed the synagogue's library, damaged several Torahs, and caused extensive smoke damage throughout the building. This incident follows a history of attacks on the synagogue, which was previously bombed in 1967.