<div id="subtitle">Arsonists torch Bronx synagogue-turned-church, leave Satanic graffiti</div><div><p>A former Bronx synagogue that was turned into a church was torched by assailants who smeared Satanic graffiti on its walls.</p><p>"We have no idea who did this," said the Rev. Raymond Talavera, pastor of the 150-member nondenominational Glory of Christ Church.</p><p>Only the hard plastic pulpit survived, the pastor said.</p><p>More than 100 firefighters were called to the scene at about 4 a.m. Wednesday, just before morning prayers at 5:30 a.m. By then, the flames in the two-story building were under control, according to fire department officials. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries.</p><p>Words scrawled in big black letters on a wall by the church entrance — "GET OFF OUR BLOCK" — offered no clue as to who was responsible for the fiery attack, said Talavera, speaking on his cell phone outside the building.</p><p>After stealing $300 from the offering box, "they took the church chairs and made a bonfire with them," he said.</p><p>The arsonists painted upside-down crosses and a pentagram — a five-point star surrounded by a "666," which the pastor said were meant to represent Satanic evil.</p><p>Elsewhere, they scrawled "Crip Kill" — referring to the name of the street gang, the Crips — and "We hate Jews and Christians."</p><p>Heat from the flames melted audiovisual equipment, and stained-glass windows that once belonged to the synagogue were blown out, Talavera said.</p><p>The congregation had a clothing outreach and a soup kitchen set up with a donation from the late Yankees broadcaster Bobby Murcer. It also had prepared Christmas gifts for children in the Parkchester area, and medicines to send to Africa.</p><p>The pastor was mystified.</p><p>"Nobody has ever expressed animosity against us," he said. "We're at a complete loss. It was a hateful thing."</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=65208829&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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