Video shows alleged arson attack at Jewish Community Center in Fort Lauderdale

A fire at a Jewish community center in Fort Lauderdale caused significant damage Saturday morning and its rabbi says it wasn't accidental.

Rabbi Chaim Slavaticki says he got a knock at his door Saturday morning.

“Screaming, 'Fire at the center, fire at the center,' and I rushed over,” Slavaticki said. “Everything is still fresh, a lot of emotions.”

Fort Lauderdale Police responded to the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Community Center on East Las Olas Boulevard for a vehicle that caused damage to the center. Police say an arson investigation was initiated and it was determined the fire was intentionally set.

Security video released Sunday shows a man lighting the Rabbi's van on fire. Slavaticki says the man tried lighting the building on fire, but he was unsuccessful. The fire from the van then spread to the building.

Police say they arrested Scott Hannaford, a transient resident of Fort Lauderdale, in connection with the attack. They say he appears to suffer from mental illness and has been trespassed from the property before.

Hannaford is charged with two counts of arson, criminal mischief, and possession of cocaine. He was booked into the BSO Main Jail. He appeared in bond court Sunday, where a judge ordered him to have a GPS monitor and a mental health evaluation.

Slavaticki says he's seen Hannaford several times, as recently as Friday. He says Hannaford was standing in the alley and screamed at his family to drive around him.

The kitchen is left completely damaged. There's smoke damage and soot throughout the building.

The Rabbi says the fire happened hours before their Saturday morning service.

“There's really no words, it's extremely disturbing,” one member said. “It's a crying shame that someone would attack such a peaceful pillar of our community.”

The Rabbi's van is destroyed, but inside his van was a Jewish prayer book that was still intact once the flames were put out, giving the congregation some hope.

“This is a hug from God and God is telling us to all stand together, and we always have to at times like this to turn back to our prayer books, turn back to God,” Slavaticki said.

The Rabbi says they held service outside Saturday.

“We have to look at the positive and it's a time to reflect on unity and coming together and continuing to be a light to the community,” Slavaticki said.

Police say this was an isolated incident and is not considered a hate crime.

The center created a fundraising campaign to find a new space to gather.