A large fire broke out at Chabad of Greater Orlando during which 5 sifrei Torah suffered damage. Fortunately, everyone evacuated safely and a Torah which survived the Holocaust and is set to be rededicated on Yom Kippur was successfully saved.
Seminole County firefighters and Casselberry police responded to a fire at the Chabad of Greater Orlando headquarters on Sunday, which affected the Congregation Ahavas Yisrael building, Orlando’s News6 reported. According to the Casselberry Police Department, a caller reported smoke and flames coming from the roof.
Fortunately, no one was inside the building when the fire broke out, and the adjacent Hebrew School was evacuated safely. Security on the premises confirmed that no unauthorized individuals were seen entering or leaving the property.
As of the latest updates, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal. Rabbi Dubov reported that five Torah scrolls were damaged, and their condition for refurbishment is uncertain. However, a Torah which survived the Holocaust and is set to be rededicated on Yom Kippur was successfully saved.
In response to the incident, a fundraiser page was launched within hours to assist with the recovery efforts. The community is rallying to support the Chabad in the wake of this unfortunate event.
Chabad released the following message:
“We are actively investigating this tragedy in our community. Please consider contributing to the rebuilding of Chabad of Greater Orlando’s Headquarters! G-D willing, we will keep everyone updated as we learn more.”
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