ARSON AT PHILLY SYNAGOGUE

Arson in Philly synagogue (JTA)
A fire at a synagogue in Philadelphia, Pa. has been ruled an arson.

The fire damaged a kindergarten classroom at the Germantown Jewish Center, a synagogue that houses a school and communal activities. Firefighters kept the early Friday morning blaze from spreading.

A task force from the Philadelphia Police Department, Fire Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that the fire was intentionally set to rags in the classroom.

Swastikas were painted on the building about two weeks ago.

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