A maniac who intentionally set his former Yeshiva Chaim Berlin Rebbi’s Flatbush home on fire in June 2019, resulting in three homes being burnt and six people injured – including a six-week-old infant, a firefighter, and two police officers – has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
Matthew Karelefsky, 46, whose actions sent shockwaves throughout the Jewish community, was previously convicted by a jury of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree arson, six counts of second-degree assault, and two counts of fourth-degree arson.
The targeted Rebbi and his wife woke up at at approximately 3:50 a.m. on June 13, 2019, to a fire in their three-story multi-family home at 1492 East 17th Street. The fire spread to homes on either side of the property, causing 13 residents to evacuate. Numerous individuals, including a six-week-old infant and two NYPD officers were treated for smoke inhalation. Additionally, one firefighter was treated for bruising suffered while responding to the fire.
Fire Marshals determined the fire at 1492 East 17th Street was intentionally set and that it spread to the adjacent properties. Investigators also determined the fire began underneath the Rebbi’s front porch, where K9 dogs identified the smell of an accelerant and fire marshals discovered remnants of a Kingsford charcoal bag, charcoal, a plastic milk carton, empty lighter fluid containers, lighter boxes and several rags believed to have been drenched in lighter fluid.
In a miracle, while the Rebbi’s home was completely devastated by the blaze, an entire wall of seforim was somehow spared the destructive flames.
Video surveillance taken from across the street from the victims’ homes showed Karelefsky setting the fire. Additionally, video surveillance from a grocery store captured the day before the incident showed him purchasing Kingsford charcoal and matches.
Police arrested the sociopath in Manhattan on June 15, 2019. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a pink shirt with a white collar—a shirt he was seen wearing walking near the victims’ homes before and after the incident. The defendant has a tattoo on his forearm that reads, “Never let go of the HATRED – KILL Rabbi Max”. He also wrote numerous social media posts expressing his animosity for and intention to harm the victim.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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6 Responses
why this particular rabbi?–anything left out of the story that might explain why he so hated this particular guy?
Yes, the Rabbi tried to help him!
Sociopathy is a mental illness. Your headline denigrates people who are suffering from mental illness.
Your headlines show how uneducated you are about mental illness.
You’re throwing around diagnosese as if you know what you’re talking about.
Knowing the man personally, I can tell you that he’s tormented soul. Definatly not as sociopath. He was actually a really nice guy before he had his breakdown.
Rabbi Max, the victim, who’s also my ninth grade Rebbi, said it best. “You can’t be mad at a desease.”
In general, headlines, especially healine pefixes on this site are cringe worthy.
To don’t judge me:
A sociopath is also a mentally ill person but you’re right when you say that YWN shouldn’t throw around diagnoses. It’s obvious that he is a tormented soul, nebech, we can’t fathom the pain and suffering of such a person.
Shame on you YWN, remove your horrible headline!!
Indeed, in London, a similar situation played out, when someone tried to set a shul on fire, but B”H was stopped just before things got out of control.
the problem, like in the US is, that dangerous people (as nebach as they are and rachmanus I feel for them), are let loose on our streets, with no way of keeping control on them, and this is due to intentional laws and ideology of the sick left.
These people need to be given a home that will serve two purposes, 1- keeping them off the street and away from others, and 2- a nice warm home.