Neighbors shocked by arrest of McKeesport man accused of targeting rabbi in Brooklyn house fire

McKEESPORT, Pa. — A McKeesport man was arrested in New York's Brooklyn borough over the weekend, accused of targeting a rabbi by setting fire to a house.

People who live the in McKeesport neighborhood where Menachem "Matthew" Karelefsky lives say you never know what someone could be capable of and are shocked as to what the 41-year-old man allegedly did over the weekend.

Police in New York say the Mckeesport man intentionally set the four-alarm fire that injured more than a dozen people, and destroyed three homes.

Carlos Rubero’s adult-age children live across the street from Karelefsky.

They say he’s been renting a room in a house along Anderson Street in Mckeesport for the last eight months.

Police alledge Karelefsky had a vendetta against the rabbi living in one of the Brooklyn homes.

He even has this tattoo on his arm: "Never let go of the hatred.  Kill Rabbi Max."

“They’re just happy he’s in jail I guess cause he made it back here. There’s no telling what he did. Ya know what I mean,” Ruberio said.

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Rubero said Karelefsky appeared troubled, rarely spoke to anyone and would often sit outside for hours watering plants and interacting with animals.

He told Channel 11 he saw Karelefsky boarding a bus this past Wednesday and then not again until he appeared on the news.

He said the entire neighborhood is on edge, but grateful no one was killed.

Cox Media Group