Those of us who reside in the region
of the country affected by Hurricane Sandy last week and yesterday’s Nor’easter
have just gotten a super-sized dose of “interesting times,” with death and
devastation on one end of the spectrum and discomfort and disruption of our
normal lives on the other hand.
And tucked between the bookends of
Mother Nature’s fury was a presidential election that revealed how truly
divided American society is at this point in time.
We are blessed with living in interesting
times, indeed.
Yet, as I drove back to my New Jersey
home last night through snow, sleet and freezing rain (worrying about Sandy’s
victims and refugees in light of the plummeting temperatures and my own newly-restored
power lines in danger of crashing for the second time in a week) I drew comfort
from the heroic work being done by the staff and kehillot of United Synagogue
who have joined the relief effort spearheaded by emergency personnel and relief
organizations, both governmental and private, national and regional.
 |
| The Dix Hills Jewish Center (Dix Hills, New York) davened ma'ariv by flashlight in the absence of power. |
Within hours after Sandy’s devastating
effects were known, our Kehilla Relationship Managers and district leaders
reached out to USCJ kehillot in hurricane-affected areas. While most of these
kehillot lost power, thankfully most suffered no damage to their facilities;
still there are some kehillot that sustained very severe flooding and other
damage.
Additionally, in the communities of
our kehillot, untold numbers of people remain without power, including heat and
hot water. Tens of thousands are now
homeless because their houses are either uninhabitable or completely destroyed.
On a personal note, my sister and her family – which
includes her elderly in-laws – have endured nearly two weeks without power or
heat in their Great Neck, LI homes.
Springing
into action, United Synagogue took the following steps:
·
We created a Disaster Relief
Fund. The monies collected will go toward 1) providing modest grants to
kehillot for immediate needs that can’t wait for insurance reimbursements; 2)
disaster relief groups directly helping people recover and rebuild and 3) in
several months, helping kehillot cover expenses they incur that are not covered
by insurance or other funds.
·
To date, USCJ has made a grant
of $10,000 to Nechama, a Jewish disaster relief group now working in
the storm zone, and a modest grant for a laptop computer to Temple Beth El of Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, which
lost all its office equipment due to flooding. We are also working closely with
United Synagogue of Hoboken (NJ) to make sure it has heat for two b’nai mitzvah
to be celebrated this Shabbat.
·
Because they have canvassed so
many synagogues, our staff and lay leaders are making connections among
kehillot so that those not affected by the storm can assist those who
were. They are also connecting kehillot
with agencies that offer disaster relief.
One
important take-away from the past week’s activities is that advance planning
goes a long way. Rabbi Paul Drazen, United Synagogue’s special assistant to the
CEO, has spent the better part of the past eight months planning safety and
security guidelines for our organization and our kehillot and that work was
critical to our ability to mobilize for this disaster.
Another
source of invaluable information on coping with disasters comes from our Torah,
in particular the current weekly portions, which detail the hospitality of
Abraham and Sarah, whose tent was open on all four sides. On a personal note,
my family and I have relied on the open tents of friends and neighbors over the
past week. I encourage everyone with power and heat to emulate Abraham and
Sarah’s model of hachnasat orchim and
open their homes to those who are rendered homeless by the extreme weather we
are suffering.
The
antidote for living through interesting times is the outpouring of caring and
fellowship from individuals, organizations and kehillot throughout the world.
During this crisis, I could not be more proud that the USCJ synagogues have
lived up to their mission as kehillot kedushot -- sacred communities --
embodying the many meanings of sanctuary.
Here
are Some Additional Suggestions for Helping Out:
·
Donate to United Synagogue’s Disaster Relief
Fund so we can continue to help kehillot and communities trying to recover
and rebuild. (If you
are Canadian and need a tax receipt, send a check to United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism, 1000 Finch Avenue West, Suite 508, Toronto, ON M3J 2V5.)
·
Donate to relief organizations
(see a list below) or contact local groups to see what they need. Before
you collect anything, contact a relief agency to find out what they need and
only bring those items.
·
Contact a neighboring kehilla
and ask how you can help, or contact your Kehilla Relationship Manager to find
out who needs help.
If
You Need Help or Want to Donate/Volunteer
FEMA
m.fema.gov
(for smartphones/mobile devices)
1-800-621-FEMA
(3362)
Legal
Help
New
Jersey: http://www.lsnj.org/
USCJ
Disaster Relief Fund
Jewish
Federations of North America
Nechama
(To Donate or Volunteer)
Nechama is a
Jewish disaster relief organization that provides on-the-ground help.
Currently, Nechama is working at three sites in Hoboken, NJ, including United
Synagogue of Hoboken.
If you have not done so, please
contact your Kehilla Relationship Manager to let him or her know how you’re
doing. They will work to connect you with help. You can find contact info for
the KRMs here.
very informative read. When the time comes, will USCJ be involved in any rebuilding efforts? I was raised on Staten Island and much of the devastation is walking distance from my parents home. I would like to be part of a rebuilding mission in the spring and summer, when the time comes to rebuild.
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