A fire sparked by unattended candles left on a porch early Yom Kippur morning severely damaged the Saddle Rock Minyan, a shul located in Saddle Rock, Nassau County, Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro reported that the fire was called in at 12:13 a.m., quickly spreading to the building’s interior. “The whole first floor was destroyed. The second floor had heavy smoke damage,” said Great Neck Alert Fire Company Chief John Purcell, who noted that the fast-moving flames caused significant damage to the center. One person, who had been asleep upstairs, managed to escape through the back door. Fire officials said it took eight fire trucks and 50 firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control. Firefighters from the Vigilant and Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Departments also assisted in extinguishing the blaze. While the building suffered extensive damage, seven Sifrei Torah were rescued from blaze. Additionally, lulavim and esrogim stored in the structure were also miraculously unharmed. Following the fire, shul members moved Yom Kippur tefillos to a neighboring home. Amid the devastation, the community has united in an effort to rebuild the shul, which has been a cornerstone in the lives of more than 100 families since 2018. Donations to the fundraiser can be made by clicking here. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)