Latest news with #CongregationBethEl
New York Times
12 hours ago
- New York Times
After Fire Destroys Their Synagogue, Congregants Gather to Pray
Even after their synagogue had burned to the ground, members of Congregation Beth El in Rutherford, N.J., gathered, as always, for Sabbath services on Saturday, grateful no one had been hurt and pledging to rebuild. More than 100 people prayed outdoors under large white tents near the charred debris of the building, mindful of what had been lost — and who had been saved. Congregants dusted soot from their chairs. The service competed with the sound of backhoes removing rubble from the site, just yards away. 'Seven Torah scrolls are gone, with no remnants — this is very painful for us,' Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman told those assembled. 'I want to say thank you, God, for sparing my life and sparing my family.' The synagogue fire, in a residential neighborhood of Rutherford, a small community in Bergen County, started in the early hours of Friday morning. Rabbi Lerman, his wife and four of their children narrowly escaped without injuries. The cause of the fire was under investigation, but there was no indication that it was criminal in nature, John R. Russo, Rutherford's police chief, said on Friday. By the time firefighters arrived, the synagogue was already consumed by flames, and a part of the building was beginning to collapse. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Historic New Jersey Synagogue Engulfed in Flames as Rabbi and His Family 'Luckily' Escape Inferno
"Luckily the rabbi and his family ... were able to get out, but the structure is a complete loss,' said Rutherford Police Chief John R. RussoNEED TO KNOW Congregation Beth El synagogue in Rutherford, New Jersey, was destroyed in a fire on Friday, Aug. 8, officials confirmed The city's Police Chief John R. Russo told WABC-TV, "Luckily the rabbi and his family, six members total, were the only members in the structure" "They were able to get out, but the structure is a complete loss," he addedA family is lucky to be alive after escaping a fire that engulfed a historical synagogue in New Jersey. Rutherford officials shared on X Friday, Aug. 8, that a 'large structure fire' had been reported at the Congregation Beth El synagogue, located on the corner of Montross and Fairview Avenues, at around 3:50 a.m. The Borough of Rutherford asked residents in the vicinity to 'be on the lookout for embers falling in their property,' and for residents outside the area to avoid it as emergency services responded. In an update on X, Rutherford Mayor Frank Nunziato shared in a statement that the synagogue was 'lost in a devastating overnight fire,' noting that its 'residents fled to safety' and there were no 'injuries or loss of life.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Rutherford Police Chief John R. Russo also told WABC-TV, "Luckily the rabbi and his family, six members total, were the only members in the structure. They were able to get out, but the structure is a complete loss.' People has reached out to the Rutherford Police Department for comment. Neighbors of the synagogue told PIX11 that the rabbi and his family had been sleeping inside the synagogue when the fire broke out. They noted that the family was able to escape and seek shelter at a neighbor's home. 'I heard all the noise and I came out to see what's going on,' the family's neighbor, Frank Wilson, told PIX11 News. 'And I saw the rabbi came to my house … he came with the family … and they came out just with their lives.' Mayor Nunziato said the fire was "absolutely devastating" for the entire community, according to WNYW-TV. He also noted the importance of the synagogue to their community in a statement on X, saying it had been home to Congregation Beth El since 'the early 1950s' and their Volunteer Fire Department has 'participated in the Menorah lighting and gelt drop' at the synagogue during Hanukkah. Congregation Beth El also shared a statement on their website, writing, 'This is a devastating loss; all support is very much appreciated at this time. We're going to rebuild bigger and stronger than we were before!" The synagogue was previously the target of a firebombing incident in January 2012, and a 19-year-old man was arrested and charged with throwing incendiary devices into the building, according to WABC-TV and WNYW-TV. However, authorities told the latter outlets that there was nothing that indicated the latest fire was suspicious. Read the original article on People
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
New Jersey Synagogue Burns to Ground as Rabbi and Family Escape
A fire destroyed a New Jersey synagogue early Friday morning as the rabbi, his wife and four of their children narrowly escaped without injuries. The fire at Congregation Beth El, in a residential neighborhood in Rutherford, started around 2:50 a.m., Mayor Frank Nunziato said. There is no indication that the fire was caused by arson, he said. By the time the first firefighters arrived, the synagogue was already consumed by flames, and a part of the structure was beginning to collapse. As it grew to a four-alarm fire, the Rutherford Fire Department eventually received help from 14 departments in the area. The congregation's rabbi, Yitzchok Lerman, and members of his family were sleeping in an apartment inside the synagogue when the fire started. The rabbi, his wife and four of their children managed to get dressed and narrowly escape the building before it began to collapse, Mr. Lerman said. 'We saw orange flames outside our window so we quickly grabbed our children and ran out,' he said. 'I turned around to save our Torah scrolls, but the flames had already engulfed the entire building. It was that quick.' The synagogue will not hold its regular Friday evening service, Mr. Lerman said. A service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in tents on the property, he said. Firefighters did not know on Friday morning what had caused the fire, Mr. Nunziato said, but there were no indications that it was arson. The synagogue, which was founded in 1919, occupied a large building that was once a residential home, and contained old wood and varnish that might explain the speed with which the fire engulfed the structure, the mayor said. Fire officials were beginning to investigate the cause on Friday. The synagogue was attacked in January 2012 by a 19-year-old man who rode by on his bicycle and threw a Molotov cocktail at the building. The man also was charged with firebombing a synagogue in Paramus. This is a developing story and will be updated.
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Fire rips through synagogue in Rutherford, New Jersey
A fire broke out overnight at a synagogue in Rutherford, New Jersey. It's still a very active scene, with smoke traveling high in the sky and the building engulfed in flames. The fire started around 2:45 a.m. Friday at Congregation Beth El on Montross Avenue in what appears to be a mainly residential neighborhood. The synagogue has been part of the community for more than 100 years. Firefighters could be seen climbing ladders to pour water on what's left of the structure. They're still working to put out hotspots and contain the smoke. So far, no injuries have been reported, and there's no word on what caused the fire. Check back soon for the latest updates on this developing story.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Holocaust survivor shares story of survival with East Texas
TYLER, Texas (KETK)– A local Holocaust survivor shared his story of survival with East Texas on Sunday. Tyler Rabbi reflects on 80 years since liberation of Auschwitz In honor of Yom Hashoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, Congregation Beth El invited the community to listen to Dr. Andras Lacko. Dr. Lacko is a Holocaust survivor who talked about his experience of survival. 'Bringing voices like Dr. Lacko's to our community ensures that the memory of the Holocaust is preserved and passed on to future generations,' Rabbi Neal Katz of Congregation Beth El said. 'We invite all people of goodwill to stand with us in remembrance.' Yom Hashoah, officially observed on April 24, is a holiday to remember the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust along with millions of other Nazi victims. Dr. Lacko offered his unique firsthand account of survival in one of humanity's darkest times. The event was free to the public and was recommended to both teens and adults. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
