For years, the welcoming glow of the Saddle Rock Minyan lit up the neighborhood as a steadfast symbol of faith and community. On Oct. 11, that glow came from flames that left the beloved place of worship in ruins.
“When I walked by the synagogue, it was burnt and nearly destroyed,” said junior Nathaniel Bina, a weekly attendee of the minyan. “Everything smelled like smoke.”
At approximately 12:30 a.m., the Great Neck Fire Department responded to reports of a fire — a haze of orange flames blanketed by thick, black smoke. As the blare of sirens pierced the quiet night, neighboring fire departments urgently arrived and aided the effort.
The fire was caused by multiple unattended candles which, left burning from the daytime minyan, soon collapsed and awakened many during the first night of Yom Kippur.
Although several responders faced challenges, such as fasting, due to their observance of Yom Kippur, they promptly worked to extinguish the fire. Their ability to quickly respond during such an important time prevented further damage to the synagogue and its holdings.
“Arriving promptly was crucial for first responders on the scene, especially since any delay could have resulted in the loss of valuable religious items and posed a major threat to the safety of those present,” said senior Justin Sharif, a firefighter and future EMT at the Great Neck Alert. “It was an extremely important day as a high holiday for the Jewish community in Great Neck, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve and support the community during that time.”
Seven Torahs were saved due to the presence of the firefighters who were there that night, none of which were damaged by the flames. Even other religious items like Siddurim were salvaged, though the synagogue itself endured extensive damage.
The synagogue not only functioned as a place of worship but also as a home to one man. The fire started while he was asleep, and, after being woken up from the sound of nearby sirens, he luckily left the scene unharmed.
Arriving only six minutes after receiving the first calls of the fire, firefighters had significantly diminished the flames within an hour. Still, the fire had already spread through the majority of the synagogue, leaving the possibility for reparations unknown.
“There was a Rabbi who went up and down the street when he saw the fire,” said sophomore Adriel Berookhim, who lives near the Saddle Rock Minyan. “I think if he had called the police when he first saw the fire, the synagogue wouldn’t have been as ruined.”
Shortly after the accident, a GoFundMe was set up with a somewhat idealistic goal of $2 million to help rebuild the synagogue and home. So far, almost $83,000 has been collected of that goal, an impressive feat for only having been slightly over two weeks since the accident. If interested, donations can be contributed at saddlerockminyan.org.
The following day, many members of the minyan were shocked to find their accustomed synagogue in ruins. As a result, one member kindly offered their backyard to be used as a temporary replacement, which was not too far from the synagogue.
“There were security guards when we got to the synagogue and they redirected us to the house next door,” said Bina. “Having minyan outside was a lot of fun, but there was still a lot of visible smoke.”
As the sun set that evening, and as congregants gathered in a nearby backyard, voices softly rose in prayer amid the lingering scent of smoke. The flames may have faded, but the spirit of the Saddle Rock Minyan stood strong, lighting up the night in a different way.
