Plans are underway in Gadyach to restore a synagogue that was destroyed by a massive fire

On the night of July 25, a major fire broke out in the town of Gadyach in the Poltava region, destroying a local synagogue that was part of the “Admor A-Zaken” Hasidic center. The fire was caused by a short circuit. Despite the extensive damage, the spiritual leadership and the congregation have expressed their determination to rebuild the synagogue. This was reported by Poltavska Dumka.

The “Admor A-Zaken” center, located at the burial site of the founder of the Chabad movement, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (the Alter Rebbe), is considered the second most important Jewish pilgrimage site in Ukraine after Uman. The fire caused millions of dollars in damage to the complex, destroying the synagogue, the kitchen, and the banquet hall. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.

Rostislav Bakalyuk, director of the pilgrimage center, confirmed that the fire was not arson. For his part, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman, who visited the scene, emphasized the importance of this site for thousands of pilgrims from around the world. He expressed confidence that, drawing on the historical resilience of the Jewish people, the destroyed center will not only be rebuilt but will become even better than it was before the fire.

As a reminder, we previously reported that emergency work is continuing at the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to address the aftermath of the enemy attack that occurred on June 15. The main threat to the architectural monument at this time is excessive moisture that seeped into the walls, the iconostasis, and elements of the wall paintings during firefighting efforts.