Eyewitness News reporter Marcus Solis has the late details on the investigation.
This fire was immediately labeled suspicious because even though fire crews were here within two minutes they were met with an incredible amount of fire. Add to this the fact that this is a controversial sect which has been targeted before and there were definitely concerns that this fire may have been intentionally set.
One resident of the area, Zev Nudel, told Eyewitness News, "The bottom line is they got what they deserved. Whether it was arson or not arson is really not the issue over here."
And it's because of animosity like this that investigators were concerned this might be an act of arson. Last night the Bais Yehuda synagogue in Munsey was destroyed by fire. Throughout the day fire and police investigators combed through the charred rubble looking anything suspicious.
Lieutenant Brad Weidel of the Ramapo Police Department said, "Right now, we have no reason to believe that this was an arson fire, and that's an important point that we want to get out to the public."
The structure is both a synagogue and the residence of Rabbi Moshe Beck, leader of the Neturei Karta Orthodox group. The ultra-conservative Hassidic Jews are ultra-controversial because of opposition to the state of Israel. the group believes religious law dictates Jews are destined to lead a nomadic existance until the coming of the messiah.
Yisroel Dovid Weiss, Neturei Karta rabbi "Judaism and Zionism is not one in the same. Judaism is a religion. Zionism is a transformation into a nationality, into a political goal to have a piece of land."
The Zionism argument aside, what many Jews say they cannot forgive is the group's participation in conference in Iran last year. It was a gathering designed to prove the Holocaust never happened.
Another resident of the area, George Hefter told us, "In my opinion, it seems to me Iran is the biggest enemy of the world. Not just our country or our allies-- of the world."
Less than 24 hours later, the synagogue has been knocked down. The group plans to rebuild here. The exact cause of this fire is still not known, but is believed to be accidental. The rabbi who lives here was away on a trip, and there were no injuries.
(Copyright 2007 WABC-TV)