Police will beef up patrols of synagogues in a northern New Jersey county following a recent rash of fires and vandalism at several temples.Law enforcement officials, politicians and community leaders met at the Jewish Federal of Northern New Jersey on Thursday night.

The meeting took on a sense of urgency after the residence of a synagogue in Rutherford was firebombed early Wednesday. The rabbi and his family escaped without injury.

It was the fourth incident involving a synagogue in Bergen County since Dec. 10.

Rep. Steve Rothman tells The Record newspaper the police patrols are aimed at catching the perpetrators.

Clergy have planned an interfaith service Saturday at the synagogue that was firebombed.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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