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Pennsylvania man sentenced for setting Brooklyn rabbi’s house on fire
Pennsylvania man sentenced for setting Brooklyn rabbi’s house on fire

Mar. 18, 2024 By Kirstyn Brendlen

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Monday for intentionally setting a rabbi’s Midwood home on fire in 2019.

Matthew Karelefsky of McKeesport, PA was convicted last month of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree arson,  six counts of second-degree assault, and two counts of fourth-degree arson.

According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, Karelefsky was caught on video lighting a fire under the front porch of Rabbi Jonathan Max’s East 17th Street home in the middle of the night on June 13, 2019. The fire quickly spread to two adjacent homes, forcing 13 people to evacuate, including Max and his family.

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