On the smoldering ashes of his shul and home, Rabbi Yitzchok Lerman is rebuilding from the ground up
Four cars were destroyed in the shul driveway. One of the rabbi’s cars survived, but the key was destroyed. His extensive seforim collection was no more. The megillah, the succah, all the kids’ school supplies and uniforms that had just been purchased… the list keeps growing. Items that are taken for granted, until they are gone.
Nevertheless, Rabbi Lerman’s first priority was to rebuild the minyan, to strengthen the community, and to make it clear to all members that they would prevail.
“I told the police that we would have a minyan on Shabbos right in front of the churban,” he said.
The town set up a tent, a Passaic-based gemach sent tables and chairs, the Chevra Kaddisha lent siddurim, and Clifton loaned a sefer Torah. On Shabbos morning, 70 people turned out for the minyan. Surrounded by reporters from the New York Times and other outlets, Rabbi Lerman spoke, tearfully, to his still shell-shocked flock.
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