RUTHERFORD, N.J. — In a terrifying repeat of past trauma at a NJ Chabad, Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman, his wife Bina, and their four children escaped a raging fire at the Chabad of South Bergen County and the Meadowlands — but this time, the beloved synagogue and family home were completely destroyed.
The blaze broke out just before 3 a.m. Friday morning at the Montross Avenue center, a historic building that had served the Jewish community for over a century. Within minutes, flames consumed the structure, leaving nothing behind.
“The fire alarm went off, and my wife and I woke up,” said Rabbi Lerman. “We heard the alarm, the shattering glass, and saw the flames outside the window. I told Bina we need to grab the kids and run.”
Still in pajamas, the family ran for their lives. The rabbi considered rushing back inside to retrieve sacred Torah scrolls, but was forced to retreat as fire overtook the building.
“The entire place went up in flames within minutes,” he said. “Thank God everyone is safe.”
Tragically, the Lermans lost everything: their home, their personal belongings, and the very heart of their community’s religious and educational life. The building housed a synagogue, classrooms, a gym, and a children’s playroom.
“This was very scary,” Lerman said. “But we are very grateful to God for the miracles He performed for our family. Our message to the community is that we are going to rebuild.”
Firefighters from Rutherford and surrounding towns quickly arrived and were able to contain the blaze and protect nearby homes from flying embers.
“Kudos to our firefighters and mutual aid teams,” said Rutherford Police Chief John Russo. “They were able to wash down all the neighboring homes, which was a concern of ours early on.”
While no injuries were reported, the fire remains under investigation. Authorities say there is no immediate evidence of foul play, but federal investigators have been notified due to the building’s history.
In 2012, the same Chabad center was targeted in a firebombing attack when a man threw Molotov cocktails into a rabbi’s bedroom window. That incident was later prosecuted as a hate crime, and the suspect — then 19-year-old Anthony Graziano — was convicted.
Neighbor Frank Wilson said the Lermans knocked on his door around 3 a.m. for help.
“The whole family came by with just the shirts on their back,” he said. “We let the kids in, gave them something to drink. They basically got out with their lives.”
Mayor Frank Nunziato called Rabbi Lerman a “pillar of the community,” and Governor Phil Murphy personally reached out to offer support.
Despite the destruction, Lerman said Shabbat services will continue — outdoors on the lawn.
“We’re not stopping,” he said. “We’re going to rebuild.”
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