PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — The devastating aftermath of a car crash lies on South Crater Road, where the historic chapel of Brith Achim Synagogue was severely damaged on Sunday night.
The crash left a trail of destruction. Piles of bricks and car debris litter the ground, a stark contrast to the once-pristine facade of the chapel. The impact caused extensive damage to the building, which has stood as a cornerstone of the Jewish community since the early 1900s.
Rabbi Menachem Sherman of Brith Achim Synagogue said he first heard the news after several members reached out.
“This is definitely not something we anticipated dealing with this week, but that’s just how life is sometimes,” Sherman said.
This building plays a vital role in Jewish tradition. As Rabbi Sherman explained, before a burial, a person’s casket will go through this structure before reaching its final resting place.
“It’s really a focal point, burying people with respect and dignity,” Sherman said. “So it’s really concerning, any time you see any damage happening to something like that.”
The Brith Achim community has rallied around their synagogue in the wake of this tragedy. In just two days, Sherman said over $1,500 has been raised to kickstart the rebuilding process.
“We still anticipate significant costs associated with repairing things, and the deductible, and uncovered things, and so on, so forth,” Sherman said. “So we’re just doing our best, as we always do.”
8News, as well as the synagogue, has reached out to the Petersburg Bureau of Police asking for details about the crash and who the driver was. The bureau has not responded at the time of reporting.
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