The following article is based on a Monsey Mevaser exclusive interview with a former Monsey resident currently living in Yerushalayim where the fire occurred.

Before beginning, let us take a brief tour of the neighborhood. Rechov Sorotzkin is in the neighborhood of Unsdorf, Jerusalem. The buildings begin at No. 1 and wind their way all the way up to No. 53 (close to a 10-minute walk). Behind the 30s there is another row of buildings known unofficially as Sorotzkin Beis (probably because it was built illegally 40 years ago and never received an official name). There are another seven buildings going from 29 to 37. In between Sorotzkin and Sorotzkin Beis there is a giant courtyard, or a “chotzer” as it is called in Eretz Yisroel, where kids and children can play, free of any worries of cars or children running into the street. There are a total of 14 buildings and around 200 families living in this little bungalow colony chotzer. Under the chotzer there is a large parking lot where cars can park and sheds can be stored.

Throughout most of the summer, and even on warm days in the winter, the afternoons are filled with the sound of children cheerfully playing in the chotzer, while their mothers can sit around relaxed and schmooze with one another. And when Sukkot comes, the place is a sight to behold. Around 50 (!) sukkahs are erected, each one in its own unique and special way. On the nights of succos, one can hear singing and happiness until deep into the night. The simcha there is practically tangible!

That was until Tuesday morning, November 24, 2020. At around 4 a.m., the entire chotzer was awakened to a massive inferno that engulfed a large part of the parking lot. Thundering explosions could be heard as car after car exploded, engulfed in flames, and the many sheds that families used as extra storage also went up in the colossal flames.

Shocked and barely awake, people ran out of their homes in their pajamas to escape the massive blaze. The flames and the smoke climbed high up into the buildings, trapping dozens of families. Some got so frightened that they jumped from their building porches. One resident who jumped with his children from the second floor ended up with a few broken ribs. Others just stood on their porches hoping for the best while repeating shema with their young children.

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services worked for over two hours to rescue the dozens of families caught in the building, with at least 30 residents requiring medical treatment for smoke inhalation, while at the same time firefighters fought to subdue the fire.

The Fire and Rescue Services stated that 18 fire and rescue teams from Jerusalem stations were called to the scene. “Beginning at about 4 a.m., we have been dealing with a complex incident of a huge fire that broke out in a complex of buildings on Rechov Sorotzkin, trapping a large number of residents with babies, children and the elderly in their apartments due to the fire and heavy smoke surrounding the buildings,” said Lt. Eli Edri, commander of the HaUma fire station.

“As a result of the heavy fire, a large number of cars, among other things, were burned, and several apartments and storage rooms were damaged. Our main effort was to rescue those caught in the buildings and prevent fire and smoke damage to the buildings. Firefighters were courageously entering into the fire and heavy smoke, and rescuing families trapped in the buildings one after the other, while simultaneously extinguishing the fire.”

“It’s a complex of buildings where many families with children live,” said senior Magen David Adom paramedic Dubi Zienwirt. “We arrived at the scene with very large forces of ambulances, mobile intensive-care units and paramedics in MDA vehicles and motorcycles. When we arrived we saw thick smoke coming out of the buildings and an active fire in the parking lot. Residents were standing by their windows, on their porches and on their roofs and signaling to us. Firefighters began to extinguish the fire and rescue the trapped residents. A 30-year-old man jumped from the second floor and was lightly injured.”

“With the help of many first responders who arrived at the scene, we treated the injured, some of whom suffered bruises and abrasions from jumping out from the windows of buildings that were on fire in an attempt to flee the blaze, and we provided oxygen to many others suffering from smoke inhalation,” said United Hatzalah emergency medical technician (EMT) Chanoch Re’em.

“I treated a man in his 30s who was injured after he jumped from his porch due to the thick smoke in his apartment,” said United Hatzalah EMT Ben-Tzion Spitzer. “He was evacuated to the hospital in moderate condition. The fire spread quickly through the building, burning the storage rooms as well as vehicles in the parking lot. We were working alongside the firefighters who were evacuating people from the building and brought them to us for initial treatment before they were transported to hospitals. Many of those who sustained injuries were infants and children who also suffered from smoke inhalation.”

The Jerusalem Municipality put out a statement in morning: “Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon arrived on the scene at dawn and instructed municipal employees to support the rescue services and residents and immediately begin the work of cleaning and rehabilitating the damaged buildings as the evacuation of the residents continues. Municipal teams are present at the scene and taking action to assist the residents.”

Actually, the Municipality did immediately set up teams to try and assist those that were affected, physically and emotionally, by the massive blazes. But there was only so much they could do. “The neighborhood looks and feels like a war zone,” said one resident. “The buildings are now black, and even the ones that were not as affected reek from the smell of gasoline and charred belongings. The Municipality employees are not natives to the neighborhood and do not know, or necessarily understand, the needs of each and every individual family.”

To that end, the natives took matters into their own hands. Friends, families and neighbors got involved and immediately found temporary places to put up those unfortunate families. A number of wealthy American families that have large apartments graciously allowed those families to stay. One well known philanthropist immediately gave out tens of thousands of shekels to be distributed out to dozens of families as pocket change to get through the next couple of days.

Immediately, campaign funds were set up and like only klal Yisroel can do, hundreds of thousands of dollars have since been raised to help assist and rebuild the lives of these families that were affected—and the number is growing. Mi k’amcha Yisroel! The fire ravaged more than eight buildings consisting of over 70 families, many of whom are simple families that are moser nefesh for Torah, with little money. In addition, it is a normal practice here not to have homeowner’s insurance. It was a clear example of yad Hashem that miraculously no one was seriously injured.

One firefighter commented that he has been working as a firefighter for a number of years and can count on his fingers how many times he saw such a large blaze on a residential area. (Fires aren’t so common here in Israel due to the cement and stone buildings.) But what amazed him the most was that despite the huge fire, there was not a single casualty! “There is clearly a higher authority orchestrating this terrible event,” he said, prompting him on the spot to reconsider his religious beliefs. “I will be going immediately to put on tefillin.”

Motzei Shabbat followed with a large asifa in the local beis medrash, Beer Shmuel. The Rov, Rav Horowitz, spoke at length with many inspiring words, followed by Rav Yitzchok Ezrachi and Rav Yisroel Ganz. On Sunday, the residents made a small ceremony to honor the firefighters. A crew of ten firefighters showed up to receive the recognition, and again Rav Yisroel Ganz spoke thanking the firefighters for their tremendous efforts.

THIS IS STILL A DEVELOPING STORY. As mentioned earlier in the article, unfortunately a lot has changed in the Sorotzkin neighborhood and there is still much to do to help restore the neighborhood to its former glory; but with Hashem’s help it will be, physically and emotionally.

[The link to the major campaign fund already underway can be found on thechesedfund.com under the name איגוד ק”ק בשכונת סורוצקין Checks can be made out to Zichron Avot, 794 Empire Ave., Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Tax ID Number 112724334. Tizku l’mitzvos!]

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As a postscript to this story, the media has reported that police have found the arsonist who nearly killed dozens of people on that fateful night. This is the report:

A series of fires broke out again on Thursday night in Jerusalem beginning at 9:30 p.m. at Rechov Sorotzkin No. 9—the same street where a huge blaze occurred earlier this week. Residents reported that the electrical cabinet in a residential building was on fire. Firefighters and MDA paramedics arrived at the scene and evacuated the residents from the building. Several children received medical treatment due to smoke inhalation and two were evacuated to the hospital in light condition.

Another incident occurred shortly before midnight, when firefighters were called to a street in Ezras Torah, where a bus had caught on fire. Firefighters quickly subdued the fire and fortunately, the incident ended with no injuries.

At five minutes after midnight, firefighters again responded to a call in Ezras Torah, where a fire had broken out in an electrical box in a residential building. Fortunately, the firefighters quickly subdued the fire and no injuries were reported.

A fourth incident occurred shortly later in a residential building nearby. When the firefighters arrived, the fire had already spread and thick smoke filled the entrance to the building, trapping the residents inside their apartments. Fortunately, firefighters subdued the fire and no serious injuries were reported.

Finally, the police zeroed in on a frum boy, about 20 years old. The suspect aroused suspicion when he showed up at the scenes of several fires on Thursday night on an electric bike and photographed the fires. Initially, the boy told the police that he was taking photos of the fires in order to post them on a local news WhatsApp group. But as the police persisted in detaining him, he resisted and began attacking the police officers. Riot police were called to the scene and detained the suspect. The police carried out a search of the suspect’s property and discovered flammable substances in his possession as well as a communications device that is believed to belong to a rescue organization, where he would monitor the status of the fires.

He was then transferred to investigators for interrogation, where he initially denied any connection to the fires. But when he was interrogated for a second time, he not only admitted to the fires but provided all the details of the series of fires he started.

He also said that he suffers from pyromania (an obsessive desire to set fires) and in light of his claim, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, which on Friday approved an extension of his detainment for four days, also ordered the suspect to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

“We operated tonight [Thursday] at a number of fires that broke out in a very short time at a number of adjacent streets,” said a Fire and Rescue commander. “The firefighters worked quickly and professionally and prevented serious harm to people and property. Such a large number of fires in a small area with similar characteristics quickly made it clear that this was a case of an arsonist who had been roaming the area and setting fires. We summoned the fire investigators to the scene and reported our suspicions to Israel Police and sure enough, we were informed later that night that a suspect had been arrested.”