New Brunswick, NJ – Members Of Synagogue Destroyed By Fire Bury Torah Scrolls And Religious Books

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    CLOSE Rabbi Jack Meyer gathers burned Torahs and other religious artifacts for removal from the burned shell of the Poile Zedek Synagogue after a fire in October, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in New Brunswick, N.J. The Congregation Poile Zedek of New Brunswick will hold the interment of shaimos ceremony Sunday, to bury the nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books which must be interred if they are no longer in acceptable condition according to Jewish custom and tradition. Photo: Mel Evans, APNew Brunswick, NJ – Members of a historic New Jersey synagogue destroyed in a fire have gathered to bury damaged sacred scrolls and books.

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    The members of Congregation Poile Zedek in New Brunswick buried the nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books on Sunday.

    An Oct. 23 fire destroyed the synagogue that opened in 1923 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. About 100 families belong to the Orthodox Ashkenazic synagogue.

    Jewish law says that the objects must be buried if they are no longer in acceptable condition. The Torahs were placed in ceramic pots and then buried.

    One Torah was saved in the fire.

    No one was injured in the fire that officials say appeared to be accidental.

    “After almost 115 years of enriching many lives, today has been the most tragic day in the history of Congregation Poile Zedek. But our sadness serves as a source of strength. May G-d guide us and enlighten us as to the future of the Congregation,” said Reuven Dorfman, Executive Director of the Synagogue.

    “With the help of the Almighty and the assistance of the Jewish Community, we will rebuild Congregation Poile Zedek and bring it to greater and higher levels of holiness,” stated the Congregation’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Abraham Mykoff.

    The Rabbi rushed into the burning building on October 23rd and was able to save one of the Torahs.

    The building was on the National and State Registers of Historic Sites since 1995, but Congregation Poile Zedek, which means “Doers of Righteousness”, dates back to the early 1900s. In its early years, most of its congregants were emigrants from Russia and other Eastern European countries. Today the Congregation is home to many Jews from the former Soviet Republics.

    A crowd gathers outside the burned shell of the Poile Zedek Synagogue after a fire in October, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in New Brunswick, N.J. The Congregation Poile Zedek of New Brunswick will hold the interment of shaimos ceremony Sunday, to bury the fire damaged nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books which must be interred if they are no longer in acceptable condition according to Jewish custom and tradition. Photo: Mel Evans, AP

    As others look on, Rabbi Jack Meyer gathers burned Torahs and other religious artifacts for removal from the burned shell of the Poile Zedek Synagogue after a fire in October, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in New Brunswick, N.J. The Congregation Poile Zedek of New Brunswick will hold the interment of shaimos ceremony Sunday, to bury the nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books which must be interred if they are no longer in acceptable condition according to Jewish custom and tradition. Photo: Mel Evans, AP

    A rabbi makes a photograph as he stands in the burned shell of the Poile Zedek Synagogue after a fire in October, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in New Brunswick, N.J. The Congregation Poile Zedek of New Brunswick will hold the interment of shaimos ceremony Sunday, to bury the burned remnants of nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books which must be interred if they are no longer in acceptable condition according to Jewish custom and tradition. Photo: Mel Evans, AP

    Workers remove burned Torahs and other religious artifacts from the burned shell of the Poile Zedek Synagogue after a fire in October, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in New Brunswick, N.J. The Congregation Poile Zedek of New Brunswick will hold the interment of shaimos ceremony Sunday to bury the nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books which must be interred if they are no longer in acceptable condition according to Jewish custom and tradition. Photo: Mel Evans, AP

    Rabbi Jack Meyer gathers burned Torahs and other religious artifacts for removal from the burned shell of the Poile Zedek Synagogue after a fire in October, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in New Brunswick, N.J. The Congregation Poile Zedek of New Brunswick will hold the interment of shaimos ceremony Sunday, to bury the nine Torahs and hundreds of religious books which must be interred if they are no longer in acceptable condition according to Jewish custom and tradition. Photo: Mel Evans, AP


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    shmuly
    shmuly
    8 years ago

    So sad to see.

    Frish
    Frish
    8 years ago

    So sad. Tzadikim of yesteryear. Would mk such noise if s/t like this happened in their times. As the Rambam z”l states there are no happen stances in life every little thing has great meaning. And especially a tragedy of this magnitude. Mabey mabey its a dign from above that although theres alot of torah learning in our generation there alot of yiddishe precious neshomoia falling away on the way side and were x doing enough to be them mekarev and show them true unconditional love.
    Hashem please send moshiach as long there is stillthose who will embrace him

    LashonTov
    LashonTov
    8 years ago

    We have no Neviim today who can specify exactly why a particular tragedy occurs. What we do have are the written words of TaNach, Mishnah, Gemara, et al, that tell us what types of wickedness lead to these types of tragedies. For example, the 11th Mishnah in Pirkei Avos 5 tells us “The sword comes to the world for the delay of justice, the perversion of justice, and for those who expound the Torah not in accordance with Jewish law. Wild beasts come to the world for false oaths and the desecration of G-d’s Name.”.
    Today with all the stabbings by the 2-legged beasts should we not demand the end of a delay and perversion of justice within our own community where we see it exists? In the 7th Perek of Yehoshua was not Achan ben Carmi brought before the entire Klal Yisrael to undo that which led to the deaths at the city of Ai? We KNOW about the wickedness to a Jewish widow in Nevada by a so-called Orthodox rabbi. But instead of fulfilling the psak of justice delivered by Bais Din on her tormentor, National Council of Young Israel perverted justice and also gave him free reign to spread apikorsus on the radio! So do the words of Pirkei Avos 5:11 have no relevance to current events?