A historic New Jersey synagogue was destroyed by a four-alarm fire early Friday as the rabbi and his family of six escaped the inferno minutes before the building was completely engulfed in flames.
The fire broke out just before 3 a.m. at the Congregation Beth El in a residential neighborhood in Rutherford — 13 years after it was firebombed in an antisemitic terror attack.
The synagogue was already fully ignited when firefighters arrived, and was a total loss within an hour, according to Rutherford Police Chief John R. Russo.
A historic New Jersey synagogue was engulfed by a four-alarm fire early Friday. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The synagogue was burned to the ground. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/ShutterstockOfficials have yet to speculate on how it started.
Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman was sleeping with his wife and four children in an apartment in the synagogue when they were awoken by a fire alarm and saw flames from their window.
“We grabbed our children and thank God we ran out of the home,” he said at the scene. “We crossed the street and I turned around to get our Torah scrolls … and the whole synagogue was already engulfed in flames.”
Smoke billowed into the sky after the Congregation Beth El caught on fire. LP Media
A large fire completely destroyed the Congregation Beth El synagogue in Rutherford, New Jersey, on Friday morning. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Firefighters battle the blaze. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock“Thank God we are alive, that’s the most important,” Lerman added.
“Everything else is replaceable, but our lives are the most important.”
The fire broke out just before 3 a.m. LP Media
Multiple fire battalions from surrounding towns responded to the call and were seen climbing ladders to pour water on the remaining structure to control the flames as smoke billowed into the sky. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/ShutterstockNobody was injured in the devastating blaze, Chief Russo confirmed. The cause is still being investigated.
Rabbi Lerman declined to comment on the cause, saying he’s waiting to hear from investigators to determine what happened.
He said that his congregation plans to hold an outdoor service where the synagogue once stood on Saturday morning. The synagogue has launched a fundraising campaign and hopes to rebuild, Lerman said.
The rabbi of the synagogue and his family of six “luckily” made it out alive, officials said. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The structure was a total loss within an hour, according to reports. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock“Right now we’re still in shock, we’re still in pain. It’s going to take a while to get over but we’re moving forward — that’s the Jewish way.”
The Post has reached out to the Rutherford Police Department and Rutherford Volunteer Fire Department for comment.
There have been no reports of injuries from the blaze. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/ShutterstockThe synagogue has been an integral part of the community for more than 100 years.
It was the target of a firebombing in January 2012 — when the rabbi at the time was also home with his family, similarly waking to flames.
“The rabbi was able to put out the fires and he and his wife woke the rest of the family,” prosecutors wrote in 2012 court documents, noting that “rabbi suffered minor burns.”
The firebombing was linked to five antisemitic attacks on Jewish houses of worship — which included Swastikas and other gross vandalism being left on targets, prosecutors said.
Anthony Graziano and Aakash Dalal were each sentenced to 35 years in prison on terrorism and arson charges.
