Shafaqna English- The Masjid Al-Taqwa in Altadena is among the many buildings destroyed in southern California wildfires that continue to rage this week.
The Masjid Al-Taqwa in Altadena is one of thousands of buildings that have been destroyed and is among around 10 houses of worship, including a synagogue and multiple churches, that have burned to the ground in the Eaton fire, one of multiple uncontained wildfires in and around Los Angeles County.
Following the Mosque’s fire on 7 January, which also affected the homes of nearby congregants, a GoFundMe page was set up by Backer Abu-Jaradeh, a local electrical engineer.
In his fundraising appeal, he noted that the mosque has been serving the local community for over 20 years and that money raised would go directly to the mosque. So far, over $100,000 has been raised to rebuild the mosque, meeting 20 percent of their goal in two days since the fire.
Churches destroyed in California wildfires
Church buildings have also burned to the ground in the fast-moving wildfires sweeping across parts of California. Among them is St Mark’s Episcopal Church, in Altadena, which was destroyed by fire, along with many homes nearby.
The Rector, Revd Carri Grindon, posted the news on Facebook on Wednesday 08 Jan 2025), saying that she was “broken-hearted”.
Source: New Arab, ChurchTimes