Historic New Jersey Synagogue destroyed by fire

A historic New Jersey synagogue and Jewish community centre has been completely destroyed after a fire engulfed the premises in the early hours of Friday morning, with the Rabbi and his family narrowly escaping with their lives.

Multiple fire crews were called to battle the blaze which had taken hold of Congregation Beth El, in Rutherford, New Jersey, in the early hours of Friday morning. Rabbi Yitzchok and Rebbetzin Bina Lerman, along with their four children, managed to evacuate the premises, which housed Chabad of the Meadowlands.

A statement from the Congregation on the shul website read: “Early Friday morning, a massive fire tore through the Jewish Community Centre of the Meadowlands, home to Chabad of the Meadowlands – Congregation Beth El. It was also where the Shluchim Rabbi Yitzchok and Bina Lerman lived and welcomed guests with warmth and love.

Thank G-d, by a true miracle, the Lermans escaped just in time before the flames consumed the entire structure. But they lost everything: their home, their belongings, and the heart of their community.”

Speaking to the press, Rabbi Lerman confirmed that he and his family had lived at the Synagogue for 11 years, and that the building itself had served the community since the 1950s, though the congregation itself is more than a century old.

“We have a lot of programmes going on, we have services, we have our day camp that’s taking place – I had to call the director to relocate”, he said.

“We’re a very active community, a very loving community – it’s devastating to see the destruction of the synagogue, of everything we love, our Torah scrolls – it’s terrible.”

It is not yet clear what caused the conflagration. In 2012 there was a firebombing attack on the Synagogue, with a molotov cocktail thrown through the bedroom window of the then-Rabbi, Nosson Schulman. The rabbinical family at the time also managed to escape unharmed, with damage at that point being minimal.

Donations to the community can be made here.