WBUR Newsroom Election 2008 CommonHealth Blog Radio Boston Blog Boston Weather Climate Connections BBC World News NPR Top Stories NPR's Morning Edition NPR Topics: Books NPR Topics: Movies Fresh Air All Things Considered Marketplace Submit a News Tip RSS Feeds Podcasts Synagogue Destroyed in Blaze By Abigail Beshkin Listen to story (Real Audio) Firefighters hose down Temple Ahavat Achim on Middle Street in Gloucester on Saturday. (AP) GLOUCESTER, Mass. - December 18, 2007 - A fire in downtown Gloucester this weekend killed one man and destroyed an apartment building. As WBUR's Abigail Beshkin reports, the fire also spread to and destroyed the only synagogue on Cape Anne. ABIGAIL BESHKIN: Synagogue president Carole Sharoff says the Congregation is mourning the loss of it's building. But... CAROLE SHAROF: "Nobody was in the building when it burned. We are so grateful for that. We mourn the loss of our neighbor, who died, and for all the families who were displaced, so we are organizing a clothing and food drive to make sure that the people who have been displaced are taken care of." BESHKIN: Sharoff says the congregation had recently completed about $200,000 worth of renovations to its 19th century building, including making it handicap accessible. SHAROF: "We built a ramp, we put in a lift, we adopted this antique structure to the needs of our modern population." BESHKIN: The fire was still smoldering yesterday morning, so Congregation Ahavat Achim held weekly services in a nearby church. Officials say all five Torahs, or scrolls, were destroyed. However Rabbi Samuel Barth says during yesterday's services, fire fighters entered with prayer shawls and other sacred objects they were able to rescue. BARTH: They worked on retrieving the items with such love and respect, the community felt that these were one thing that might be left over to them from the building. BESHKIN: Barth says the congregation's hundreds of members are committed to keeping their synagogue going. BARTH: Everybody's very, very clear, even in the midst of a lot of sadness, that this is not the time that the community was destroyed, or even that the community was severely injured. This was the time that the building burned down. BESHKIN: Officials say their priority will be to find space this week for the synagogue's school program and offices. Within two months, they hope to begin work on finding or building a new place to pray.    From The WBUR Newsroom Tipping the Balance BOSTON, Mass. (May 16, 2008) Tipping the scales of justice, as some workers take their bosses to court over the question of who should get the gratuities. Big Apple in Boston BOSTON, Mass. (May 16, 2008) Geeks and gizmos abound, as Apple opens a new store -- the country's biggest -- in Boston. The products attract fans but Apple is banking on its service strategy to keep them coming. Shutoffs Loom for Thousands BOSTON, Mass. (May 16, 2008) As the weather warms up, the heat is on for people to pay this winter's oil, gas. and electric bills. But this year, many more can't foot the bills, and now face shutoffs. Review: "Cardenio" BOSTON, Mass. (May 16, 2008) To Shakespeare scholars, "Cardenio" is the stuff of legend. To WBUR critic Ed Siegel, the ART production of the Bard's revamped script is the stuff of some laughter.