Tag: New Jersey Jewish community

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Rutherford’s Historic Congregation Beth El Reduced to Ashes — Cause of Fire Likely to Remain a Mystery

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

RUTHERFORD, NJ — The investigation into the devastating Aug. 8 blaze that destroyed the historic Congregation Beth El synagogue has officially closed, with officials saying the fire’s cause may never be known.

Police Chief John Russo confirmed that damage to the 1890s Queen Anne-style building was so severe that investigators could not pinpoint what sparked the inferno. “This burned so fast and so hot, it collapsed upon itself,” Russo said. “There was nothing left to examine.”

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Historic Rutherford Synagogue and Rabbi’s Home Destroyed in Early Morning Fire — Family Escapes Unharmed

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photos courtesy of NJ District 36 Assembly candidates Chris Musto and Diane DeBiase

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

RUTHERFORD, NJ — A devastating blaze in the early hours of Friday, August 8, 2025, destroyed the home and synagogue of Rabbi Yitzchok and Bina Lerman on Montross Avenue. The couple and their four children narrowly escaped with their lives, but everything else — including seven sacred Torah scrolls — was lost.

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