For nearly a century, the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center stood as a sanctuary for worship, community and tradition.
But by dawn Wednesday, Jan.8, only charred remnants remained, after wind-driven flames swept through the cherished synagogue in a matter of hours, lost to the mammoth, swift-moving Eaton fire.
Synagogue leaders did not immediately respond to requests for comments on Wednesday. However, in a message posted on its website, co-signed by Executive Director Melissa Levy, Cantor Ruth Berman Harris, Rabbi Jill Gold Wright, President Jack Singer and Treasurer Clark Linstone, they acknowledged the devastating loss to the community.
“We are devastated to report that PJTC’s buildings caught fire last night,” the letter began, addressing congregants as “PJTC Family”. “Despite the best efforts of the fire department, multiple news organizations have reported that all campus buildings are lost.”
The letter went on to reassure congregants that all Torah scrolls from the sanctuary, chapel, and classrooms were rescued Tuesday night. “They are safely in the home of one of our congregants,” it said.
“However, our primary focus is on the safety of our community members,” the letter said. “We have already received reports that many in our community have lost their homes. We are grateful to congregants who opened their homes to other congregants. Our first priority is to follow up with everyone today to ensure their whereabouts and safety.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center traces its origins back to Temple B’nai Israel of Pasadena, established in 1921. In 1941, the congregation acquired the Spanish styled building and land on North Altadena Drive, where it would remain a cornerstone of the community for over 80 years.
By Wednesday morning, the synagogue was reduced to rubble, with collapsed walls, smoldering debris, and broken archways scattered across the grounds. A few recognizable features, like parts of the entrance and portions of the exterior walls, still stood amid the destruction, serving as a somber reminder of the long-standing history lost in the blaze.
It was not the only place of worship that was in the path of the Eaton Canyon Fire, Altadena community church UCC, and Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, Altadena, were also destroyed, leaders at the two churches confirmed on social media.