At approximately 2:45 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, a blaze ripped through Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman and his wife, Bina's, Montross Avenue home and synagogue in Rutherford, where they've been since 2014.
The couple and four of their six children who were home at the time escaped "right in the nick of time," according to Bina's sister, Brocha Wilschanski. However, everything else was destroyed — including all seven Torahs.
"They're in shock, but they're well," Wilschanski said in a call with Daily Voice. "The alarms woke them up. Yitzchok saw flames coming out of he windows and said, 'Grab the kids and run.' Everything burned down."
While Bina is staying in Brooklyn with her in-laws and the children, Rabbi Lerman is staying in Passaic and plans on hosting Shabbat services on the front lawn Saturday, Aug. 9.
The Lermans have spent more than a decade rebuilding and growing Beth-El, the synagogue they lead, one that was firebombed in 2012. The couple moved from Brooklyn and took up residence in the upstairs level of a historic 1821 Queen Anne mansion.
In a 2016 interview with Daily Voice, Rabbi Lerman described the challenges of maintaining the aging property: “If we don't fix it, we're going to lose this place.”
“We moved into a house that hadn't been taken care of for at least 20 years,” he said at the time, standing in the attached gym, which he rented out to a local baseball program. Despite the deteriorating facility, the congregation had grown by the hundreds and launched a thriving Hebrew school.
That same year, the Lermans were honored by U.S. President Barack Obama in recognition of Beth-El’s 95 years of service to the community.
The rabbi's message now isn't much different than it was in 2016: "His message is of hope in rebuilding," Wilschanski said. "And build back and just continue their programming and extend it."
According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, the fire broke out around 2:45 a.m. Friday at Temple Beth-El, located at 185 Montross Avenue in Rutherford. Following the initial fire suppression efforts by the Rutherford Police and Fire Departments, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad was requested at the scene. Detectives and arson investigators with the Bergen County Arson Task Force responded and launched a joint investigation with local officials.
Preliminary reports confirm that no injuries occurred, though the structure sustained significant damage. The scene remains active, and investigators say detours will likely stay in place for now. The public is being asked to avoid the area.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Rutherford Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Russo.
Later Friday morning, Rabbi Lerman was seen sitting on a street corner, comforting members of his community. Rabbi Eli Steinhauser described the moment as a reflection of the “devastating loss” the Lermans and their congregation are now facing.
And again, Lerman vows to rebuild.
Rutherford Mayor Frank Nunziato called the synagogue “an active and cherished part” of the borough since the early 1950s, noting its deep connection to the local fire department and town-wide holiday traditions.
At this time, Congregation Beth-El is asking for monetary donations only and is not accepting physical items. Donations can be made at https://jewishrutherford.org.
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