La Grande-Motte rabbi stunned after his synagogue burned down

The alleged perpetrator of the fires that broke out in front of the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte on Saturday morning, August 24, was arrested in Nîmes a few hours later. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into attempted terrorist assassinations. Since then, the Jewish community of the seaside town has obviously been shocked.

“I’m doing well”these are the first words of the rabbi of La Grande-Motte. At the time of the fire, Marc Marciano was in his apartment located on the upper floor of the synagogue. “Like every morning, I went down to the office and, thank God, I saw the fire. Cars exploded, so tires exploded. One, then two, then three, up to six tires. So I went down a little out of time and that saved me. Luckily, the faithful had not yet arrived.”he says.

“Those who wanted to harm us arrived a little too early. Good for us.”

Marc Marciano, rabbi of the La Grande-Motte synagogue

to franceinfo

In the summer, Shabbat services begin a little later than usual. In office for 14 months, the rabbi of La Grande-Motte admits that the attack stunned him. “We born don’t expect this kind of thing, he recognizes. It’s a quiet little seaside town, where people come with their children. But, well, today, I don’t think there are big cities or small cities for big or small crimes. That’s how it is.”.

At 54, Marc Marciano does not want to express his emotion but he wants to salute the police: “I think we have to respect the police because their work is immeasurable. We can’t imagine, it’s just incredible what they do. Really, thank you.”For the rabbi of La Grande-Motte, the absence of victims during this anti-Semitic attack is simply a succession of miracles.