Three synagogues in Israel sustained significant fire damage over the weekend, in what police suspect were arson cases. No injuries were reported and it is unclear at this time whether the cases are related. The first fire took place at a synagogue located at the Morasha School in Petach Tikva, where the structure was burned to the ground. The second incident took place near Wadi Ara, where a Chabad synagogue housed in a caravan caught fire and was severely damaged. According to available details, both fires appear to have taken place in the early hours of Saturday morning. The third incident saw the Great Synagogue on Hovevei Zion Street in Petach Tikva set ablaze. Firefighters were called to the scene around noon Saturday, and were able to extinguish the flames. Several Torah books were completely burned and the synagogue's Torah ark was damaged. "Initial findings suggest that an unknown individual entered the synagogue in the middle of the day, when it was empty, opened several books, poured a flammable liquid on the ark, set it on fire and fled the scene," a statement by the Petach Tikva Police said. Police are investigating all three cases as arson and are trying to establish whether there is a connection between them.
