(NewsInsights.org) – Rabbi Chaim Slavaticki of Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center turns off his cell phone for the Sabbath. He explained to reporters how a congregant startled him on the morning of Saturday, March 16, when he banged on his door to warn him of a blaze at the synagogue and community center. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and Police were already responding, but fire and smoke had already destroyed much of the Hebrew school, synagogue, and Jewish community center.
Security video footage revealed a man covering the grill of the Rabbi’s minivan, parked in the ally behind the center, and a nearby air conditioning unit in what appeared to be a flammable substance before igniting it. The flames quickly spread from the vehicle to the building. Fort Lauderdale Police (FLPD) subsequently arrested Scott Hannaford, 50, on charges of criminal mischief involving a house of worship and arson. Police also charged the suspect for cocaine possession.
Slavaticki described multiple negative interactions between Chabad community members and Hannaford, including one from the previous evening. The Rabbi said the accused man had tried to block him and his wife from entering the ally to park their minivan before Shabbat began as they gathered for a Hebrew School family dinner. As the Rabbi drove around him, Hannaford screamed at him and flipped him the middle finger.
Police are still investigating the incident, but based on their initial assessment, they believe mental illness motivated the transient rather than hate. Although Slavaticki believed Hannaford targeted him and the community center, he asked reporters and the community to “let the professionals do their job.”
The Rabbi told reporters, “This is the most important thing, that nobody was hurt. It could have been much worse.” He mentioned the miracle of timing. Had the attack happened earlier, the entire center might have burned down. Later, people would have filled the center. Although fire reduced his minivan to a metal heap, a prayer book somehow survived, wedged between the seats. Additionally, while the fire damaged the kitchen, it left propane tanks stored there untouched.
Slavaticki thanked Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue for their prompt response. He vowed to rebuild the Jewish Community Center and continue serving the area.
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