This morning, when a fire tore through a building in Greenvale, Jewish firefighter Michael Farca recognized that part of the basement was a shul, and with smoke pouring in, he ran inside and pulled the Sefer Torah out from the flames.
A fire broke out early Wednesday morning around 7:00 AM at the Laffey Real Estate Group building, located at 55 Northern Boulevard in Greenvale, New York. A shul that operates on the lower level of the building was directly affected by the blaze.
As news spread, members of the Jewish community from Greenvale, Roslyn, East Hills, and Old Brookville gathered outside the building, deeply concerned. Their greatest fear was for the Sefer Torah inside the shul.
Over 60 firefighters responded. As they worked to control the fire and thick smoke, Michael Farca, a firefighter with the Roslyn Highlands Fire Department and a member of the Jewish community, recognized that part of the basement belonged to the shul. Acting quickly, he made his way toward the aron kodesh.
“As soon as I saw the ark, my eye went right to it,” said Farca. “I opened it to see if there was a Sefer Torah inside, and sure enough, there was.”
In a powerful and emotional moment, Farca emerged from the building cradling the Sefer Torah, greeted by tears and heartfelt gratitude from the community.
“The Torah is more than a book. It’s our heart and soul,” said Yuriy Davidov, a member of the shul. “Seeing it come out safely felt like a miracle.”
“We want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” added Igor Shamalov, president of the shul. “The Torah means life. It’s our guide. We are incredibly grateful it was saved.”
No one was inside when the fire broke out. Investigators believe the cause was electrical, and there are no signs of suspicious activity.
The fire came just a day after Shavous, making the rescue of the Sefer Torah even more meaningful. Although the building suffered extensive damage from smoke, water, and burst pipes, the community is already looking ahead.
In a message to supporters, the shul wrote: “Our shul has been growing, and we’ve outgrown our current space. While this fire was a setback, it is not the end. It’s the beginning of a new chapter.”
A fundraising campaign has been launched to help relocate the shul to a new, larger space that will meet the needs of the expanding community. Funds will also go toward replacing lost sefarim and siddurim, providing essentials like talleisim and tzitzis, and creating a welcoming environment for learning, davening, and celebration.
“Every donation helps us come back stronger,” said Shamalov. “With your support, we can rise from this challenge and continue building Jewish life here in Long Island.”
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