Chabad of Southern Colorado will hold its Yom Kippur services at the local Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs, and are looking for alternative locations for their Sukkot and Simchat Torah, due to extensive fire damage to their synagogue.
Rabbi Moshe Liberow told KKTV that last Monday, just minutes before the congregation was to begin Rosh Hashanah services, they heard a loud bang and smelled smoke. While the congregation hastily made its way out of the building, Rabbi Liberow and a few of the congregants were able to get the Torah scrolls and prayer books out and took them to the rabbi’s home a few blocks away.
According to the KKTV report, the congregation may not be able to return to its building, as parts of the roof fell in and there’s extensive damage inside as well.
“Of course there’s been sadness, but sadness doesn’t bring growth, sadness doesn’t change things,” said Rabbi Liberow, stating: “We have to be optimistic, positive and, as our sages teach us, think good, be good, do good, increasing the goodness more and more.”
The Rabbi thanked the synagogue’s gentile neighbors for lending a hand in carrying damaged furniture and other articles out of the synagogue.