Story perspectives

Man Indicted for Attempting to Ignite Boy on Bus

2/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

Yaakov Yisrael Berkowitz, 31, from Jerusalem, has been indicted for allegedly attempting to set a 12-year-old boy on fire during a bus ride.
The incident followed a confrontation with the boy's father over Berkowitz's harassment of children at a local synagogue.
Berkowitz reportedly poured gasoline on the boy and tried to ignite it with a lighter, which malfunctioned.
The boy suffered minor injuries, and passengers alerted the bus driver, enabling Berkowitz to escape before his later arrest by police and military personnel.

1 of 1

Story summary

Yaakov Yisrael Berkowitz, 31, from Jerusalem, has been indicted for allegedly attempting to set a 12-year-old boy on fire during a bus ride.
The incident followed a confrontation with the boy's father over Berkowitz's harassment of children at a local synagogue.
Berkowitz reportedly poured gasoline on the boy and tried to ignite it with a lighter, which malfunctioned.
The boy suffered minor injuries, and passengers alerted the bus driver, enabling Berkowitz to escape before his later arrest by police and military personnel.