Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg and suburban firefighters battled a late Friday night blaze that severely damaged the Chisuk Emuna synagogue at Fifth and Division streets. The fire went to three alarms, something Mayor Stephen Reed said has not happened in the city for several years.
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For congregants at the scene, the big worry was the synagogue’s nine Torahs, which were endangered by the fire and the heavy use of water to extinguish the fire.
City firefighters used two ladder tracks to attack the blaze from the front, pouring water in through broken, second-floor windows while the Progress Fire Company attacked the blaze from the east.
Smoke poured from the roof and the windows as firefighters battled the fire.
Fanned by a strong westerly wind, the smoke could be smelled four or more blocks away to the east.
The fire broke out about 10:15 p.m. and firefighters were actively battling it until 11 p.m. Firefighters were still at the scene at 11:30 p.m.
Firefighters, assisted by synagogue members, attempted to rescue the Torahs from the building while the fire was still going, but were apparently turned back. They were making another attempt at 11:15 to rescue the Torahs, six of which were on the charred second floor and three on the ground level.
At the end they were successful to save all 11 of the congregation’s Torahs and taken them to the Jewish Community Center, said synagogue historian Bruce Bazelon. Some are more damaged than others, he said, but he was optimistic they could be restored, but many other religious artifacts were destroyed.
Two years ago the congregation celebrated their 50th anniversary of their move to the Fifth and Division site from Sixth and Forster streets.
Mayor Reed said approximately 20 ceremonial candles that were left burning following a Friday night dinner are the likely cause.
Chisuk Emuna has moved a few times since it was founded in 1883. The synagogue’s first home was on Walnut Street. It then moved to Filbert Street and then Sixth and Forster before the 1957 move.
very sad
There is extensive wather and smoke damage but none were burned too badly so probably a good sofer can repair some of them.
They left the Shabbos candles burning and went home. A lesson to everyone. Don’t leave the candles alone. Remember how many times we hear of tragedies because of Shabbos and Yom Tov candles left unattended.
i davened in the shul. beautiful. Rabbi Silver was the Rav of this shul and this wonderful community. It is the closest community to hershey park. Hashem Yerachem
Note: This is the traditional conservative shul in town. Wonderful people, very tragic.
The Orthodox shul that #4 is talking about is Kesher Israel Congregation (www.kesherisrael.org). We helped them bring five of their sifrei torah to our shul on Friday night where they can be kept safe and sound.
I witnessed this horrific scene this past Shabbos . I was visiting Harrisburg with a group from Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future. Members from all three denominations of Judaism raced to the Synagogue to help Congregation Chisuk Emunah and to rescue their 11 Torah scrolls from the fire. It was amazing to see the immense amount of sensitivity that their Rabbi, Rabbi Ron Muroff had while walking through the crowd as he watched his historic synagogue engulfed in flames. At perhaps the most stressful point in his career, Rabbi Muroff wanted to make sure that everyone in the crowd was comforted.
The Harrisburg community is a paradigm of how Jewish communities around the world should approach tragedy. Regardless of one’s religious affiliation it is our responsibility as Jews to reach out to our Jewish brethren in times of need. We should be a light, not only unto the nations but also unto ourselves.
VERY saddened by the news. We have family that are members at that temple and are very sorry.
We were saddened by the news. We were members of this temple over 20 yrs. My son and daughter were schooled and Bar Mitvahed there. We hope the community will rally to help re-build this beautiful Temple. We are with in prayer and support.