In the path of Hurricane Ian, rabbis open their homes and safeguard Torahs – Forward
Posted By admin on October 4, 2022
In an aerial view, damaged buildings are seen as Hurricane Ian passed through the area on September 29, 2022 in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
By Adam KovacSeptember 29, 2022
As Hurricane Ian barreled through Florida heading north, Rabbi Robert Haas got busy protecting his synagogue in Savannah, Georgia.
Congregation Mickve Israel, founded in 1733, has much to safeguard. The Reform synagogue is an active congregation, but also a museum filled with priceless Judaica, including two of the oldest Torahs in the United States.
Haas wrapped the scrolls and other artifacts in waterproof material and moved them to the windowless library, just in case.
On Thursday, the day after Ian hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, it had been downgraded to a tropical storm. But its predicted to be upgraded to a hurricane again before it hits the South Carolina coast on Friday. In Georgia, officials were warning of possible flooding just days before normally crowded Yom Kippur services. If congregants cannot reach the synagogue, they can tune in online a contingency in place thanks to the pandemic.
If anything does happen, well go in really quickly and record the whole service and put it online for everybody if we cant be in the building, Haas said.
One of the worst storms to hit the U.S. in decades, with 150 mph winds, Ian left more than 2 million Floridians without power, and emergency responders say that it is likely responsible for two deaths, and possibly many more. It ravaged the states west coast, including Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples. Many Jewish institutions in the area were unreachable by phone Wednesday and Thursday.
Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz of the Chabad of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers rode out the storm at home, not by choice but because the evacuation order had come during Rosh Hashanah, when Orthodox Jews refrain from using technology.
We couldnt leave because we only found out after yontif and it was too late to leave, Minkowicz said, using the Yiddish term for a Jewish holiday.
Despite severe flooding, by Thursday morning, the storm surge had rescinded back into the Gulf of Mexico, and Minkowicz had mobilized, opening a temporary shelter at the Chabad House in Fort Myers, launching a fundraiser and providing video updates on the communitys relief efforts. By midnight Wednesday night, three ambulances from Hatzoloh, the Jewish emergency service, had arrived, and volunteers from Miami and Boca Raton began to set up a generator and Wi-Fi at the temporary shelter.
Minkowiczs group planned to host a barbecue dinner Thursday for people who are out of power or low on supplies, and will also deliver 200 Shabbat dinners to members of the community.
Now its a matter of helping people get back on their feet, helping them fix up the houses, getting them food, getting them what to drink, getting them supplies, Minkowicz said. Thats our next big job.
Sarasota Rabbi Levi Steinmetz of the Chabad of Downtown Sarasota also remained in the city as the storm passed through.
On Thursday, he said he had been in communication with congregants despite power and internet outages, and was able to assure people of their relatives safety, including a mother in Israel worried about her son.
Its a little bit crazy, were trying to check on everyone, said Steinmetz.
Ian severed the causeway to Sanibel Island, home of Bat Yam Temple of the Islands. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the destruction on the island biblical. All but two couples in the congregation fled before the hurricane hit, responding to a county-wide evacuation order.
Nobody has heard from anybody on the island since a little after 3 p.m. Eastern Time yesterday, Janice Block Chaddock, a Bat Yam member, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Thursday. Im happy to be alive, happy that my husband and my mom are alive and Im on pins and needles about other friends on Sanibel.
Rabbi Bruce Diamond of The Community Free Synagogue in Fort Myers answered a call from the Forward just after the storm made landfall on Wednesday. Asked about the weather, he stepped outside his home, and described wind pummeling trees and debris littering the ground.
But Diamond, who has lived through three or four hurricanes in the area, said he wasnt worried, and that he was ready to shelter people who live in homes more vulnerable than his, as he has done in the past.
Sometimes its two or three days and we may have to do that again, he said. Its pretty awful out there.
On Thursday, a call to Diamond went straight to voicemail.
The storm had subsided by the time it reached Orlando, in central Florida.
Rabbi Yosef Konikov of the Chabad of South Orlando said his synagogue was working on getting meals to those who need them and also on providing help for congregations in other places that were hard hit.
The Miami area, Floridas most substantial population center, was relatively unaffected by the hurricane, aside from some rain and wind. The Greater Miami Jewish Federation launched a fund to boost relief efforts.
The Jewish Federations of North America has also launched a relief campaign, including emergency grants to hard-hit communities. Jewish Federations are especially well-positioned to help in these kinds of situations, Julie Platt, the campaign chair, said in a press release.
The storm struck just after Rosh Hashanah, and days before Yom Kippur, which begins on Tuesday evening. Many in the storms path fled to family in other cities and states, and will be observing the holiest day on the Jewish calendar with them.
Diamond, watching the hurricane rage outside his home, called it awe-inspiring.
The voice of the Lord is above the waters, he said. It certainly gives you a sense of reverence to see this kind of power displayed. And it reminds us of how everything hangs by a thread.
JTA contributed to this report.
Adam Kovac is a staff reporter at The Forward, where he covers science, climate and health. He can be reached at[emailprotected]or on Twitter as @AdamJKovac.
Read the original here:
In the path of Hurricane Ian, rabbis open their homes and safeguard Torahs - Forward
- The 50 Most Influential Rabbis in America - Newsweek - January 25th, 2023
- Orthodox pilgrimage to the grave of Kabbalah rabbi buried in Istanbul picks up after COVID slump - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - January 23rd, 2023
- Science News Roundup: Meat cultivated from cow cells is kosher, Israel's chief rabbi rules; Space startups funding halved in 2022 as investors shift... - January 23rd, 2023
- Film about rabbi, civil rights activist to be screened Feb. 5 at Fox Theater - The Bakersfield Californian - January 10th, 2023
- The Granada massacre of 1066: When a Muslim mob crucified a Rabbi and murdered almost the entire Jewish population in a city - OpIndia - December 31st, 2022
- www.the-temple.org - December 27th, 2022
- Sunday Sitdown: Local rabbi reflects on meaning of Hanukkah on first night celebration - WAVY.com - December 25th, 2022
- Why Is Naftali Bennett Suing This Rabbi for Defamation? - Israel News - Haaretz - December 13th, 2022
- Spanish rabbi shares story of bridging religions with Mandel JDS - Cleveland Jewish News - December 11th, 2022
- Rabbi: Lets recommit to one another and get the polio vaccine | Opinion - NJ.com - October 15th, 2022
- A Shared Scripture Conversation between a Rabbi and a Pastor - Alpena News - October 15th, 2022
- A Kosher Vape? Meet The Rabbi-Certified Jewish Vape Brand, Oy Vapes! - Herb.co - October 15th, 2022
- Judaism and feminism: how far we have come, how far we need to go The Stute - The Stute - October 15th, 2022
- Six Greater Phoenix rabbis, other clergy highlight Arizona's 'draconian' abortion bans - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix - October 15th, 2022
- Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley: October 21-27, 2022 - Sedona.biz - October 15th, 2022
- In tribute: A man of dignity, Oklahoma's Ben Shanker, died 'at the high point of Yom Kippur'. He and his wife Shirley, of blessed memory, were my... - October 15th, 2022
- It's splendorous. It's packed with meaning. It's the etrog. J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 15th, 2022
- Herzog presides over quasi-biblical gathering revived by his grandfather - The Times of Israel - October 15th, 2022
- On Ohlone land: How Bay Area Jewish activists are honoring Indigenous people J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 15th, 2022
- Twinsburg Chabad welcomes first two Torah scrolls - Cleveland Jewish News - October 15th, 2022
- Book takes Jewish children to 'The Very Best Sukkah' in Uganda J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 15th, 2022
- Local Jews render aid to those hit by Hurricane Ian - jewishpresspinellas - October 15th, 2022
- We Need to Support Chabad of Cutler Bay - Miami's Community Newspapers - October 10th, 2022
- Guest Commentary: Of Voting and Atonement - The Philadelphia Citizen - October 10th, 2022
- Islamic Tahrif, Jewish Metaphors And The 99 Names Of Allah OpEd - Eurasia Review - October 10th, 2022
- This is the year to be an influencer of goodness: Rabbi Levi Greenberg - El Paso Times - October 8th, 2022
- Rabbi Leonard Lewy is here to help staff chaplain at Ascension Columbia St. Marys Hospital in Ozaukee - The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle - October 8th, 2022
- Rangers predicted XI as Malik Tillman offered redemption chance with Rabbi Matondo to start against St Mirren - Scottish Daily Express - October 8th, 2022
- The Rev. Sara LaWall, Rabbi Dan Fink and the Rev. Andrew Kukla: Faith leaders unite in condemning Idaho's abortion ban - The Spokesman Review - October 8th, 2022
- Portlands Jewish Music Fest to bring music, food and fun - KOIN.com - October 8th, 2022
- A good answer to a cheeky question: If God is perfect, how can God create? J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 8th, 2022
- GOD SQUAD: Resurrection is the ultimate sign of divine love - Kenosha News - October 8th, 2022
- Rabbi Avrohom Luban Announced As Associate Director Of Agudath Israel ... - October 4th, 2022
- Meet the rabbi who made it possible to live a Jewish life in the UAE - JNS.org - October 4th, 2022
- Messianic Rabbi: The Last Words of Moses, Yeshuaand You - Charisma Magazine - October 4th, 2022
- Rabbi Rose leaving B'nai Amoona, will assume CEO of Cleveland JCC in 2023 - - St. Louis Jewish Light - October 4th, 2022
- Letter to the Editor: Rabbis do take political stands when morality, ethics and national threats are involved - Summit Daily - October 4th, 2022
- HappinessThe Real Scoop - Boca Raton's Most Reliable News Source - The Boca Raton Tribune - October 4th, 2022
- Lexington rabbi speaks with communities impacted by recent gun violence - LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY - October 4th, 2022
- Lessons from the Book of Jonah - Yom Kippur - Aish.com - October 4th, 2022
- Indelible interfaith progress has been made in last year - Arab News - October 4th, 2022
- Cleveland area rabbis reflect on journeys to the rabbinate - Cleveland Jewish News - September 25th, 2022
- Phoenix rabbi wants to spread kindness this Rosh Hashanah - The Arizona Republic - September 25th, 2022
- Is it okay for a rabbi to be anti-Israel? - JNS.org - September 25th, 2022
- Podcast: Dan Talks with Rabbi Josh Franklin, Jewish Center of the Hamptons - Dans Papers - September 25th, 2022
- How the First Woman Rabbi in Italy Kept a Promise to Her Father - Guideposts - September 25th, 2022
- Hiding Their Jewishness - aish.com - Aish.com - September 25th, 2022
- There is so much to come at Rangers from Rabbi Matondo - Ibrox Noise - September 25th, 2022
- Purely Commentary: The Fast I Have Chosen | Detroit Jewish News - The Jewish News - September 25th, 2022
- The Inadequacy of Thank You to a Retiring Rabbi - Guideposts - September 25th, 2022
- Return of the Love Rabbi: Netflix has already expressed interested in a reality show based on new Montreal film - The Suburban Newspaper - September 21st, 2022
- Rabbi reflects on nearly three decades with Bet Haverim - Davis Enterprise - September 21st, 2022
- Two men indicted on 10 federal counts in carjacking of rabbi, others - Cleveland Jewish News - September 21st, 2022
- The Rosh Hashanah when America's most prominent rabbi criticized FDR - JNS.org - September 21st, 2022
- Messianic Rabbi: The Increasing Excitement of the Red Heifers in Israel - Charisma Magazine - September 21st, 2022
- Chabad of the Hospitals to spread holiday cheer on Rosh Hashanah - thejewishchronicle.net - September 21st, 2022
- Community, mental health and gratitude all have a place in this year's High Holiday sermons - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix - September 21st, 2022
- Sacramento-area school fills void for growing Chabad community J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - September 21st, 2022
- Leading Ukraine rabbi tells Jews to stay away from Uman this year - JNS.org - September 4th, 2022
- Mini Mitzvah: Special light-weight Torah dedicated at Aishel House will give medical patients big boost - Jewish Herald-Voice - September 4th, 2022
- 600 years of animosity: Conversos want to return as Jews are leaving Palma de Mallorca - Ynetnews - September 4th, 2022
- Celebrating the High Holy Days together - Australian Jewish News - September 4th, 2022
- Mikhail Gorbachev dismantled the Iron Curtain and allowed Russian Jews to live openly again - Forward - September 4th, 2022
- The Tzedek Needs to Be with Tzedek Torah.org - Torah.org - September 4th, 2022
- State bill will extend California nonprofit security grants 'indefinitely' J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - September 4th, 2022
- Second man charged in armed carjacking of rabbi in Solon - cleveland.com - August 22nd, 2022
- Im a rabbi who witnessed the attack on Salman Rushdie in Chautauqua. Here is how we can combat this type of hate - Forward - August 22nd, 2022
- Ben Gvir names scion of prominent rabbinic family to his far-right slate - The Times of Israel - August 22nd, 2022
- 'God is life,' Rabbi Yonatan Neril on ecological conversion and the war in Ukraine - Religion News Service - August 22nd, 2022
- "Come To Punjab, Sardars Will Protect You": Singer Rabbi Shergill To Bilkis Bano - NDTV - August 22nd, 2022
- Is this Russian rabbi fair game for sanctions, or being held to a double standard? - Forward - August 22nd, 2022
- Catholic Gestapo agent who spied on Nazis and became anti-Zionist rabbi - Ynetnews - August 22nd, 2022
- Of Thorns And Thistles (Part II) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - August 22nd, 2022
- The Gates Of Tears - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - August 22nd, 2022
- Being Aware of Awareness - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - August 22nd, 2022
- The Complex Truth Of The Haskalah - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - August 22nd, 2022
- The Violence Of The Stranger - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - August 22nd, 2022
- I had sex with a rabbi. There were big red flags. - Los Angeles Times - July 31st, 2022
- Married Rabbis Take Over the Pulpit at Tamaracs Temple Beth Torah Shaaray Tzedek Tamarac Talk - Tamarac Talk - July 31st, 2022
- Rangers new boy Rabbi Matondo: The rapid winger ready to ignite World Cup dream - The Athletic - July 31st, 2022
Comments