People assist rabbi and family with funding after fire destroys their Bellevue home
Published 12:30 pm Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Following a devastating fire at the home of a Bellevue rabbi and his family on the early Shabbat morning of June 27, members of the Eastside Torah Center-Chabad have banded together to support the Elishevitz family with a fire emergency fund page.
Everyone who was sleeping in the home at the time of the fire — including family members and seven CTeen camp counselors — survived, according to Chabad.org. Rabbi Sholom and Chaya Elishevitz’s home was destroyed in the blaze, which investigators suspect was caused by an electrical panel malfunction.
The counselors jumped out of the second-story windows to safety and sustained minor injuries. Rabbi Sholom Elishevitz is currently recovering after sustaining burns on his hands and smoke inhalation after rushing his family outside and waking the counselors after smelling smoke at 5 a.m., reads a Chabad.org news story.
The Elishevitzes are members of Chabad-Lubavitch of Bellevue and direct teen activities at the Eastside Torah Center, including the CTeen Jewish summer camp. A Chabad.org media relations associate said the camp is back up and running with the help of local volunteers and fellow Washington state Chabad rabbis.
According to the fundraising page, “Anyone who knows Rabbi Sholom and Mrs. Chaya Elishevitz knows that their home was never just their family’s home, it was a home for the entire community. Their door is always open, their table always had room for one more guest, and their hearts were always open to anyone in need. They have quietly given of themselves to so many families throughout the ETC Bellevue community and the MMSC Day School community, offering kindness, hospitality, guidance, and support without ever expecting anything in return.” The page can be located at https://tinyurl.com/2upvhu6n.
The Elishevitzes have served as emissaries in Bellevue for 18 years as part of the Eastside Torah Center team, and also lead the MMSC Jewish Day School and Seattle Jewish Montessori, notes Chabad.org.
“Please open your hearts and give as generously as you can. Together, as a community, we can help this extraordinary family rebuild not only their house, but their home,” the funding page adds.
