Suspected school arson is a tragedy

On behalf of Congregation Children of Israel, we express our sincere sadness about the recent destruction of Kashmir's oldest school, reported July 13 in The Augusta Chronicle.

It is our understanding that, as a result of this devastation, thousands of rare Islamic texts were destroyed, including one of the world's oldest copies of the Quran. It is a tragic loss not only to the Muslim world, but to all of civilized society who believe in the preservation of great historical documents and religious works.

The obliteration of such written treasures serves no purpose, and leaves only a deep chasm that cannot be filled. We are dismayed by this appalling incident.

Meryl H. Alalof
Rabbi Robert G. Klensin

(Editor's note: The writers are, respectively, the president and the rabbi of Congregation Children of Israel synagogue in Augusta.)