History was projected onto the synagogue and neighboring buildings for three weeks. Spiegel had a heart attack and died in 2001, leaving charge of the synagogue to the youngest of his three sons, Rabbi Shmuel Spiegel. The other sons, Rabbi Gershon and Rabbi Ari, were, respectively, synagogue president and assistant rabbi. In June 2003 the name "Rabbi Yaakov Spiegel Way" was given collectively to the corner of Rivington Street and Ludlow Street near the synagogue location and the stretch of Rivington in front of the synagogue. The roof had long been in bad shape by the time of Jacob Spiegel's death in 2001 and it was threatening to collapse. In December of that year, Shmuel Spiegel managed to raise $25,000 for emergency repairs. However, despite offering cholent (the traditional Sabbath lunch stew) at the Sabbath morning kiddush, Spiegel had to search local streets to make the ten men for the minyan. In 2004 the regular membership hovered around 40. Spiegel kept the synagogue running at an annual cost of around $75,000. Collapse On January 22, 2006, the roof of the synagogue caved in, severely damaging the main sanctuary. Joshua Cohen, writing in The Forward in 2008, described the roof as "falling in respectfully, careful not to disturb the local nightclubs, or the wine and cheesery newly opened across the street". No one was injured, and a party to celebrate that fact was later held at the Chasam Sopher Synagogue on Clinton Street. The National Trust for Historic Preservation issued a press release about the collapse, in which it described "older religious properties, like the First Roumanian-American Synagogue" as "national treasures", and stated: The roof collapse at First Roumanian–American Synagogue this week demonstrates that houses of worship must have access to necessary technical assistance, staff and board training, and the development of new funding sources in order to save these landmarks of spirituality, cultural tradition, and community service. Amy Waterman, executive director of a project to repair and renovate the Eldridge Street Synagogue, noted in The Forward: Synagogues like the First Roumanian-American Congregation, more familiarly known as the Rumanische shul, were the first spiritual homes for successive waves of European immigrants. They were built more than 100 years ago, and just like the bridges and tunnels of New York City, they're bound to fail if not attended to. Though First Roumanian-American had hosted a wedding as recently as October 30, 2005,