Bulawayo, Zimbabwe -- More than 100 years of Jewish history went up in smoke yesterday (October 4 2003) when the historic Bulawayo Hebrew Congregation synagogue burnt to the ground.

Although priceless sidurim, Hagadot and other Jewish books and relics were destroyed, no one was hurt in the blaze. Even so, said a tearful Beilah Bloch, it was a “miracle that our torahs were saved”. Had it not been for the quick thinking of congregants, Rodney Lepar and Raymond Roth, six old torahs and numerous smaller ones would have perished as well. Also saved was the Ark curtain made in 1725.

According to eyewitnesses, Mr Lepar and Mr Roth were looking in through a window of the burning building when they each “saw” a torah near the Ark. Although each saw a different coloured one through the flames that was the ‘sign' Rodney needed. Despite protests from firemen and heedless of the burning beams and thick smoke, he ran into the building. The steel doors of the Arc were locked by a strong padlock, yet Mr Lepar some how managed to kick them in, away from the concrete pillars. He then grabbed anything he could lay his hands on and passed them out of the building.

They also managed to rescue many lavishly decorated Ark curtains and cloths used in the Synagogue and the silver ornaments used on the Torahs. Each of these has a story and history that echoes the journey of Jews around the globe. Many were carried to safety from the flames that consumed Jews in the holocaust of World War Two.

Although arson has been ruled out, it has not yet ascertained how the fire began. It was believed it may have started next door where some rubbish was being burnt in a dustbin. This set a creeper alight, which scaled the building, thereafter igniting dust and roof timbers.

Damage estimated in the millions (Zimbabwe $) came on the eve of Yom Kippur, as the congregation was making ready to gather with their new rabbi, Rabbi Nathan Asmouch, newly arrived from Israel. He ran three kilometres from his home, as it was Shabbat, to be with the grieving community. Most poignant of all was Rev Laizer Abrahamson , who this year celebrated his 104th birthday, (born April 2 1899). After the flames were doused, with water dripping from the rafters, he could only stand and stare, walking stick in hand, Yarmuckah askew as he wiped tears away. He lost both his prayer shawls in the flames and was grief stricken, asking what would he be buried in when his time came.

Writes Shelley Lasker , a dedicated member of the community, “We stood together, lost for words and mourning the death of our keep of memories. One man cried that he promised his daughter that one day she too would be married there. Another lamented that her children were named there and I, too, was lost in the memory of my own wedding, my childhood and the ghosts of all who have passed through our small town.”

The Bulawayo Hebrew Community, which now numbers only 148 souls – down from more than 3000 at its zenith in the 1960s – has a long and proud history. The ‘shul', as the city's landmark is known, began in a canvass tent in 1894 and grew over the years into a magnificent stained-glass structure. Its inaugural meeting of 21 pioneers in then Rhodesia was held shortly after Bulawayo was proclaimed a town. Emanuel Basch, Bulawayo Mayor and Congregation President, laid the foundation stone on May 17 1910 and the building was consecrated in April 1911. Years later, this synagogue was not big enough to contain the growing community and overflow services were held in nearby buildings. (Jack Furmanovsky, who now lives in London, designed the "new" section of the shul. He, together with Leonora Granger, another well-known local architect, drew up plans for a more ‘modern' building. By the 1960s the building consisted to two facades – the front a magnificent Cape Dutch style originally designed through a competition and the stylish red brick and stained glass modernist Granger side – Both are now gone.

The small-standing community is justly proud of its record – not a day missed in its history whereby a minyan was not formed, then and now. Said the rabbi in 1929, Rev M I Cohen, “Since the beginning (1898) we have never held a single meeting outside our own buildings.”

Ms Lasker continued, “The Bulawayo Jewish Community has been reeling under the effects of a county in political turmoil over the past few years. Despite the distressing effects of losing friends and family, who have fled to more stable countries, the community continues to maintain the vigil of morning and evening prayers with its quorum of 10 men over the age of 13 in the beautiful old synagogue until very recently. It was with heavy heart that we voted to hold morning prayer only twice a week and, of course, on the Sabbath for there are no longer enough people to keep up daily prayers.”

Despite the tragedy, by Sunday morning, the congregation was flat-out cleaning the torahs, their silver templates, washing the white Yom Kippur clothes and gathering their strength from each other. Services would now be held in make shift premises. Said David Lasker, “The façade can be saved.” Perhaps the community can build again.

The community still manages to maintain a community hall, an old aged home Savyon Lodge that cares for more than 30 residents, and a Jewish Primary School, Carmel. Even though Carmel has only nine Jewish children -- the rest are made up of a broad cross-section of religions, colours and creeds,-- the school maintains its Jewish ethos. When canvassed recently, 99 percent of the non-Jewish parents, including many Muslims, voted to maintain its Jewish character.

NB: Anyone willing to assist by donation or kind word can contact the Bulawayo Hebrew Congregation President, Alan Feigenbaum - Click Here