Fire Destroys Historic New Jersey Synagogue

A major fire engulfed a historic synagogue in New Jersey early Friday, as the rabbis and six families made it out safely.

The blaze erupted at the Beth El congregation in Rutherford just before 3 a.m. According to reports, when firefighters arrived, the building was already heavily ablaze, and parts of it were beginning to fall in.

Firefighters from multiple nearby towns quickly responded to the situation, using ladders to douse the remaining structure while smoke billowed into the sky.

Rutherford Police Chief John R. Russo stated that the synagogue had become a total loss within an hour. Fortunately, the rabbis and those six families managed to escape unharmed. There were no reports of injuries related to the fire.

Nearby resident Frank Wilson recounted waking up to the chaos, witnessing the rabbi and his family fleeing the scene. “I saw the rabbi come to my house with his family… they only came out with their lives,” he shared.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

For over a century, the synagogue has been a key part of the community and had faced firefighting efforts back in 2012.

This remains an ongoing story.