California congregations vow to help neighbors even as their buildings are lost to fires
A man walks in front of the burning Altadena Community Church, January 8, in the downtown Altadena section of Pasadena, California. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Like many of their neighbors, leaders of the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center watched in horror this week as wildfires destroyed homes, businesses and entire neighborhoods in Southern California, with the destruction playing out on social media and television news.
On Wednesday, their temple, too, was counted among the losses.
“We are unable to access the neighborhood to confirm, so can only watch the news along with you, and hold each other tightly,” the temple’s leadership wrote in a letter on the center’s website. “We want to assure you that last night, we were able to rescue all our Torah scrolls from the sanctuary, chapel, and classrooms. They are safely in the home of one of our congregants.”
