Chabad of the Beaches honors heroic act

A decade ago, there was a fire at Chabad of the Beaches at Beth El. A group of firefighters banded together to save two Torah scrolls from the devastation.

They were honored with a service on March 9.

The ceremony, marked by two Torah readings, was a tribute to the bravery of the firefighters who risked their lives to rescue the sacred scrolls.

“Today is very special, usually we take out one Torah,” Rabbi Eli Goodman said. “Today we’re actually going to be reading from two Torahs because there are four special Torah readings a year. This happens to be one of them.”

The event, held at the synagogue, 570 W. Walnut St., revisited the incident that occurred a decade ago when a fire threatened to engulf the synagogue, endangering its most cherished possessions.

“We protect the Torahs with all our might,” Goodman said.  “They are more precious to us than anything else in this sanctuary.”

The service included prayers for healing and well-being. Additionally, Goodman shared a story illustrating the importance of Torah scrolls in Jewish tradition. He recounted the tale of a Holocaust survivor who vowed to dedicate a Torah scroll as a symbol of survival and resilience.

Goodman explained that the man was chosen for labor and was given shoes with soles made from parchment torn from a Torah. Despite his discomfort and the symbolism of walking on sacred material, he wore the shoes to survive. He vowed that if he ever reached safety, he would dedicate a Torah to make amends. Despite financial struggles, he saved every penny until he could fulfill his promise.

“He turned to the rabbi and said, ‘I know I’ve struggled my entire life to put food on the table,’” Goodman shared. “’Nonetheless, I’ve been saving every penny that I could. Now I feel that I’m ready and I would like to dedicate a Torah Scroll.’ Now you understand and have a little bit of insight into how we treat a Torah. Torah is something that’s so special, it’s the soul of who we are, and something so important and that’s why we are having this commemorative event today.”

The ceremony also highlighted the strong bond between the Chabad of Beaches and the local fire department. Former Lido Beach Fire Chief Jared Siegelman, who played a key role in the rescue operation a decade ago, was honored during the event.

As a token of gratitude, special gifts were presented to the firefighters, symbolizing their bravery and dedication. Cups adorned with axes were gifted, representing the firefighters’ strength and determination displayed during the fire rescue.

“It is so important to us that the Torah was the priority,” Goodman said. “The building next door hasn’t been used, since the fire, in a significant way. You should know that usually when there’s something negative happening to the Jewish community, we rise to the challenge and, God willing, those two buildings are going to come down and we are going to make a magnificent center to add to this particular building over here, something that will be the joy and pride of the entire community here in Long Beach. We look forward to bigger and brighter things in the future. Also, the axes symbolize the strength and determination displayed that day, which was literally 10 years ago.”

Following the conclusion of the service, attendees were treated to a spread of food as the celebration continued.

The 10-year commemoration at Chabad of the Beaches not only honored the heroic actions of firefighters who saved two Torah scrolls from a devastating fire but also showcased the spirit of resilience and solidarity within the community.