A fire destroyed the century-old Beth El Chabad synagogue in Rutherford, N.J., in the early hours of Friday morning.
Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman, his wife, and four of their children were asleep in their apartment in the synagogue when the fire erupted at around 2:50 a.m.
“We saw orange flames outside our window so we quickly grabbed our children and ran out,” he told reporters. “I turned around to save our Torah scrolls, but the flames had already engulfed the entire building. It was that quick.”
Synagogue in Rutherford, NJ, went up in flames early Friday. It’s a total loss. No one was injured, thankfully.
Congregation Beth El had been firebombed in 2012. The cause of this fire is still being investigated.
The synagogue was part of the community for over 100 years. pic.twitter.com/YKnqxBVRWV
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) August 8, 2025
A member of the congregation said in a video posted to the synagogue’s website, “There was a devastating fire this morning. You can see the smoke in the background. The entire building was engulfed in flames, and Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman and his family just managed to get out.”
“Sixty seconds after they walked out of the building, they were trying to get the Torahs,” he said. “The whole building went up in flames. The entire building is destroyed. Rabbi Lerman is sitting over there comforting members of his community, and it’s just a devastating, devastating loss.”
“They literally walked out of their house in pajamas with nothing. He doesn’t even have keys to his to his car,” he added.
Early this morning my cousin and his family were awakened by a fire raging through their home and adjacent shul. They made it out safely BH 60 seconds before the entire building became engulfed in flames and was completely destroyed. pic.twitter.com/K35UJb8FWn
— Eliezer Zalmanov (@ezalmanov) August 8, 2025
At 03:06 today, Chief K. Cribben, T904 and R903 responded to 185 Montross Ave., Rutherford and assisted the RFD extinguish a fully involved synagogue fire. #woodridge #fire @Sutphenfire pic.twitter.com/JfbS5MeVzF
— Wood-Ridge Fire Dept (@WRFire) August 8, 2025
The synagogue was the site of an antisemitic attack in 2012, when a 19-year-old on a bicycle threw Molotov cocktails at the bedroom window of the previous rabbi and his wife.
CBS News reported at the time:
Authorities say multiple devices were tossed at the home, including Molotov cocktails and rigged aerosol cans. All appeared as if they were being aimed at the second floor of the house.
Molinelli is convinced the rabbi was targeted because of his Orthodox Jewish faith.
“This is certainly a hate crime. This is certainly a bias crime. This is aggravated arson, but most importantly, we’re now looking on this as an attempted homicide,” he said.
Schuman also believes he was a target of hate.
“I think they wanted to make a big statement and kill a Jewish leader,” he said.
It comes just one day before a meeting between representatives of more than 80 synagogues, law enforcement and some Jewish day schools to discuss several incidents targeting Jewish temples in Bergen County.
Anthony Graziano and Aakash Dalal, who prosecutors said was an accessory to the crime, are serving 35-year prison sentences for the synagogue firebombing as well as other antisemitic crimes.
NorthJersey.com:
The pair’s crime spree from December 2011 to January 2012 targeted a swath of synagogues across Bergen County. Dalal and Graziano spray-painted swastikas, “Jews Did 9/11” and other anti-Semitic messages at Temple Beth Israel in Maywood and Temple Beth El in Hackensack. They were also convicted of attempting to burn down synagogues in Paramus and Rutherford and of throwing Molotov cocktails into the home of a rabbi in Rutherford.
Rutherford Police Chief John Russo told reporters Friday morning, “Kudos to our firefighters and our mutual aid teams, they were here quickly dealing with the situation. But they were also, since we had so many on scene, they were able to assist with the embers, which were an issue early on, and wash down all the neighboring homes, which was a concern of ours at first.”
Russo said that while nothing they’ve discovered thus far has led them to suspect a crime, “All of the criminal investigators that need to be here are here. And once they can get on scene to do their investigation, they will. Like I said, it’s very early, and our investigators can’t even get near the scene.”
Congregation Beth El was established in 1919. According to its website, the synagogue “has served many generations of Jews from all over South Bergen County including Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Garfield, Harrison, Hasbrouck-Heights, Kearny, Little Ferry, Lodi, Lyndhurst, Moonachie, North Arlington, Rutherford, Secaucus, Teterboro, Wallington and Wood Ridge.”
Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman joined the congregation in 2014. “They have opened a Sunday Hebrew school, launched our Jewish Learning chapter, and greatly expanded many of our programs.”
The website currently displays the following message about the fire:
Early Friday morning, a massive fire tore through the Jewish Community Center of the Meadowlands, home to Chabad of the Meadowlands – Congregation Beth El. It was also where the Shluchim Rabbi Yitzchok and Bina Lerman lived and welcomed guests with warmth and love.
Thank G-d, by a true miracle, the Lermans escaped just in time before the flames consumed the entire structure. But they lost everything: their home, their belongings, and the heart of their community.
The congregation is vowing to rebuild and is asking for financial help. You can donate here.
Antisemitism is on the rise in the United States and across the globe. While other media organizations try to paper over the violence and destruction, we at PJ Media will continue to report on this critical topic.
Never again.
Help us in our commitment to exposing hate by becoming a VIP member. Join today and use the promo code FIGHT for 60% off your membership. Plans start at just $1.60 per month with the discount! Sign up here.
