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January 19, 2008

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Arson cause of Pa. Jewish Center fire

By Vernon Clark
The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA — An early-morning fire yesterday — ruled an arson — damaged a kindergarten classroom at a Jewish center that houses a synagogue, school and community center in the West Mount Airy section of the city, officials said.

The Germantown Jewish Center in the 400 block of Ellet Street was unoccupied when the fire started around 7:30 a.m. in a first-floor kindergarten classroom, Fire Department officials said. Firefighters had the blaze under control about a half-hour later and kept it from spreading beyond the classroom, officials said.

Executive Chief Daniel Williams said members of a task force from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Fire Department determined that the cause of the fire was "incendiary." Williams said an investigation was continuing.

Officials said that swastikas had been painted on the rear of the building about two weeks ago, but that the incidents did not appear to be related.

Rabbi Leonard Gordon said that he did not think the fire was a hate crime and that the painting of "the swastikas looked like something children would do. We have wonderful relations with the community."

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Gordon said services and other activities would be held at the center despite the fire.




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