Hasidim mourn, vow to rebuild after arson attack destroys Ukraine’s historic Sadigura synagogue

Members of the Hasidic community of Sadigura (Sadhora) in Ukraine held a burial ceremony yesterday for hundreds of religious books that were burned in an arson attack two weeks ago, as they expressed hope of rebuilding the historical synagogue.

The elaborately designed synagogue, known among Hasidim as the Kloiz Kadisha, was destroyed on November 27 when a man, said to be mentally disturbed, allegedly entered the synagogue in Sadigura and set it on fire when the guard briefly left his post.

The suspect, said to be a former army officer and boxer, was arrested and is being held in custody until trial. According to a statement put out by the community, police are exploring whether the suspect was working with others, as he threw his phone into the flames to eliminate evidence. No money or possessions were taken during the attack.

In the aftermath of the destruction, a delegation of Sadigura Hasidim spent hours collecting the ashes of the burnt books in order to bury them in the city’s old Jewish cemetery in a ceremony of prayer and mourning, the statement said.

“These are scenes reminiscent of the Holocaust,” said Rabbi Mordechai Shalom Yosef Friedman, head of the Sadigura sect.

The iconic synagogue was built by Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin, the founder of the Sadigura dynasty, some 180 years ago. It was abandoned during World War I, and re‑consecrated and restored in a multi-million dollar renovation several years ago.

Community members pledged to rebuild the synagogue to stand as “a beacon of Torah, prayer and Hasidic heritage,” according to the statement.