Arson Destroys
Synagope

Philadelphia/Jewish Exponent

ifting through the ash-covered
remains that were once treasured
religious objects, administrators of
Beit Harambam Congregation say
they are determined to rebuild after
their synagogue was scarred by arson.
Congregants arriving for Shabbat
morning prayers May 27 found a
burned-out shell of a building. Half of
the synagogue's roof had caved in. All the
windows were broken. The four Torah
scrolls salvaged by firemen were damaged
beyond repair by smoke and water. All of
the prayer books were ruined.
"We are just beginning to under-
stand the level of decimation," said Eli
Gabay, president of the 300-member
congregation in northeast
Philadelphia. The hardest part of the
experience so far, he added, was
explaining to his two young children
that "this was done by someone who
wanted our synagogue to not exist.
The Sephardic congregation had
occupied the converted house for
more than 10 years, he said. Members
are primarily immigrants from Israel
and Russia, along with some longtime
northeast Philadelphia residents.
Sgt. William Ansel of the
Philadelphia Police Department said
the arsonist broke into the synagogue
through a rear window, piled up the
prayer books and lir them with a
match. The arsonist apparently
dropped two charity boxes taken from
the synagogue.
Beit Harambam member Devora
Neuman, a 73-year-old Holocaust sur-
vivor, said she never expected to see
another synagogue burned down. "I
was really shocked. I cannot get over
it. I felt like I was back in Poland or
Germany," she said, recalling the
smoke in the sky in 1939, after Nazis
entered her Polish village and
destroyed the shul. E

S

The Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia, the Jewish
Community Relations Council
and the Board of Rabbis of
Greater Philadelphia have set up
a fund to assist the congregation.
Donations should be ear-
marked for the Beit Harambam
Rebuilding Fund and mailed to
the Jewish Federation, c/o Chris
Nuneviller, 2100 Arch St.,
Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.

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