Jewish Firefighter Saves Torah from Burning Long Island Chabad Shul

A Jewish firefighter on Long Island bravely rushed into a burning Chabad center Wednesday morning to rescue a Sefer Torah, while members of the local Jewish community gathered outside in prayer.

Firefighter Michael Farca entered the smoke-filled Chabad of Greenvale just after 7 a.m. to retrieve the Sefer Torah after flames tore through the building. B’chasdei Hashem no injuries were reported in the incident, according to first responders.

He emerged unscathed from the building carrying the Sefer. Chabad congregant Igor Shamalov described the scene as “symbolic,” noting that neither Farca nor the Torah were harmed in the rescue, a moment that deeply moved onlookers to tears.

“The Torah scroll, for us, is priceless,” Shamalov told The New York Post, adding that the crowd outside wept with emotion upon seeing it safely removed. “It is like saving a human life.”

Despite heavy fire damage throughout the building, with soaked, blackened prayer books and much of the inside destroyed, the Sefer’s survival gave congregants a sense of hope and resilience.

“The Torah is more than a book, it’s our heart and soul,” shul member Yuriy Davydov told the Post. “Seeing it carried out safely felt like a miracle.”

Firefighters from across Nassau County responded swiftly to the emergency and were able to prevent the fire from completely destroying the structure. Crews remained at the scene for several hours to put out lingering hot spots and assess the extent of the damage.

Authorities say the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Plans to rebuild are already underway. 8n the meantime, Shamalov said the congregation is actively searching for a temporary space to continue davening until the shul can be rebuilt.