Matthew Karelefsky, 46, was sentenced to decades in prison by the Brooklyn Supreme Court after setting fire to the home of a Midwood rabbi, the Brooklyn District Attorney announced on Monday. Justice Donald Leo sentenced Karelefsky to 25 years to life.

In June 2019, Karelefsky set fire to the home of Rabbi Jonathan Max, a teacher at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, a Haredi boys’ school, according to media reports. The fire spread to other houses near Max’s home on East 17th St, injuring six people, including an infant, a firefighter, and two police officers.

According to the DA, Karelefsky has a tattoo on his arm that says “Never let go of the HATRED – KILL Rabbi Max YEMACH SHMO.” The last two words are Hebrew for “may his memory be erased,” traditionally used for those who’ve attempted to annihilate the Jewish people, such as the biblical Haman or Adolf Hitler.

At the time, Karelefsky alleged that the rabbi had sexually abused him in the school’s dormitory. He had reportedly been threatening to kill the rabbi for at least a decade. Max denied the abuse allegations to the New York Times in 2019. 

“He’s a very amiable fellow,” Max told the Times. “You talk to him, he’s the sweetest guy. There’s no anger in me toward him. He’s sick. How can you be angry at disease?”