25 years to life for man who set fire to rabbi’s Brooklyn home in hate-fueled arson

March 19, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Photo by Mary Altaffer/AP

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A 46-year-old from Pennsylvania will spend the rest of his life in prison after he burned down three houses in Midwood in an attempt to kill a rabbi.

Matthew Karelefsky, 46, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison by the Brooklyn Supreme Court on Monday for his involvement in a 2019 arson that targeted a rabbi’s home in the Midwood.

The arson resulted in the destruction of three homes, including that of the intended victim, and caused injuries to six individuals, among them a six-week-old infant, a firefighter and two NYPD officers.

Karelefsky was convicted on Feb. 7, 2024, of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree arson, six counts of second-degree assault, and two counts of fourth-degree arson following a jury trial in front of Justice Donald Leo.

The conviction stems from an incident on June 13, 2019, when a fire was deliberately set at a three-story multi-family home at 1492 E. 17th St., spreading to adjacent properties and necessitating the evacuation of 13 residents.

“This defendant’s actions destroyed the homes of several families and put numerous people in harm’s way,” said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “I am thankful that there were no life-threatening injuries. With today’s sentence, this defendant has been brought to justice.”

Investigations revealed that the fire was intentionally ignited underneath the front porch of the rabbi’s home, with fire marshals finding evidence of an accelerant, including remnants of a Kingsford charcoal bag, charcoal, a plastic milk carton, empty lighter fluid containers, lighter boxes and several rags soaked in lighter fluid. Video surveillance captured Karelefsky purchasing the arson materials at a local grocery store the day before the incident and later setting the fire.

Karelefsky was apprehended on June 15, 2019, in Manhattan. At the time of his arrest, he was identified in part by his distinctive attire — a pink shirt with a white collar — as seen in surveillance footage near the scene before and after the arson. Notably, Karelefsky has a tattoo on his forearm stating, “Never let go of the HATRED – KILL Rabbi Max,” which, along with his social media posts, indicated a premeditated animosity towards the rabbi.