New York, NY, June 18, 1999…The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today released a statement following the arson attacks against three synagogues in the Sacramento area.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director issued the following statement:

This morning we woke up to the horrifying news that three Jewish houses of worship were attacked by arson. This hateful crime victimizes the entire Jewish community. This is clearly the worst such attack in years. Not only because it was committed against houses of worship but because it appears to have been a coordinated effort. Hate literature found at the synagogues is similar to those ADL’s Internet Monitoring Unit has been tracking on the Internet for a number of months.

We urge the good people of Sacramento to ban together to show that haters will not be tolerated in their community. We commend law enforcement’s swift action on this hate crime and have confidence they will bring the perpetrators to justice. Sacramento’s bias crime units, both in the police force and sheriff’s department, that are plugged into a very strong statewide hate crimes task force will be of enormous help in this case.

In the past five years, there have been 39 arsons against synagogues and other Jewish institutions, including an attempted firebombing at a Sacramento synagogue in 1994. In 1994, 20 of the 25 attacks were clustered in the New York area at synagogues and Jewish schools. In 1997, there were two serious arsons against Los Angeles synagogues that caused extensive property damage.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.