Congregants Heartsick Over Temple Fire on Upper East Side

Congregants from the synagogue destroyed by fire on the Upper East Side are recalling decades of memories there the day after the four-alarm blaze.

Georgette Gross got married at the Kehilath Jeshurun synagogue at 125 East 85 St., where the same rabbi who officiated her wedding also did the same for her daughter's wedding years later.

When her husband saw the flames Monday night, Gross said he was terribly upset.

"He was basically sobbing. This is his whole life," she said.

The modern Orthodox synagogue was founded in 1872, and counts some 1,100 families as members.

A police spokesman says the fire appears to have started on the top floor and roof. Authorities later said the majority of the roof had burned through and collapsed.

About 40 fire units and 170 FDNY personnel battled the blaze, officials said. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries. The cause of the fire had not yet been determined. Fire marshals were investigating the cause.

Because of a construction project going on in the building at the time of the fire, no Torah scrolls were inside.

There were also no injuries, but there is concern: the congregants were looking forward to Rosh Hashana at the renovated temple this fall.

"This synagogue is supposed to be ready for high holidays, so that's out," said Jesse Kravit.

Neighbors are trading ideas for some other spaces to use.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein says that "with God's help, we will rebuilt, hopefully even better than before."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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