Project Tzohar: September 19, 2005

The Hurricane Relief Fund established by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is about to distribute its first funds.

Since the fund was established money has been pouring in; Conservative rabbis stressed the value of giving emergency funds as a cohesive Jewish community as they addressed their congregations from their pulpits. As the money has been collected both professional and lay leaders have been examining their options. The goal is for a mix of recipients; United Synagogue and the Rabbinical Assembly, the organization to which its rabbis belong, want to help both Jewish and non-Jewish storm victims.

"We all have been heartened by the immediate and generous response to this joint effort by the Conservative movement's rabbis and lay leadership as they respond to a domestic tragedy," said Rabbi Leonard Gordon of the Germantown Jewish Centre in Philadelphia, who chairs the Rabbinical Assembly's social action committee. "Our decision to pass along funds to both local and national organizations and to meet the needs of both Jewish and non-Jewish communities and individuals emerges out of Judaism's concern for all in need. We look forward to offering further support down the road as new needs emerge from this ongoing emergency in the lives of thousands."

So far, $241,000 of the donated funds will be distributed as follows:

$150,000 to United Jewish Communities for food for evacuees in Houston.
$36,000 to America's Second Harvest for general food distribution.
$10,000 for Pope John XXIII Catholic High School in Katy, Texas, for books and meals for the 37 displaced students the school has taken in.
$5,000 for High Holiday services in Biloxi.
$10,000 for housing in Houston through Interfaith Ministries.
$30,000 to agencies in the Biloxi/Gulfport area.

Harry Silverman, United Synagogue's Southeast region director, is flying to Biloxi next week. While he is there, he will choose the agencies that will receive United Synagogue funding. Mr. Silverman also will tour Congregation Beth Israel, a Conservative shul and the only synagogue on the Mississippi gulf coast; the building was badly damaged and its members scattered across the region. They hope to be home by the High Holidays in October, however, and United Synagogue and the Rabbinical Assembly are providing a rabbi and a cantor to lead services then.

Decisions about how to spend the rest of United Synagogue's Hurricane Relief Fund will be made as continuing needs become clearer, and as United Synagogue learns more about the conditions of its flooded synagogue buildings.

"This tragedy has brought out the best in people of all faiths and colors, young and old, rural and urban, who have opened their hearts, their pocketbooks and in many cases their homes to reach out to the many people who lost so much," said Judy Yudof, United Synagogue's international president. "On behalf of United Synagogue, I thank all of our members who have been so generous and who will continue to be so generous."

"Just as we were devastated to see images of the suffering endured by the people hit hard by the hurricane, we are overjoyed by the generous response from all across America," said Rabbi Jerome Epstein, United Synagogue's executive vice president. "We are grateful to our membership for their overwhelming generosity, and we pledge to keep faith with them by helping both Jews and non-Jews rebuild their lives."

For more information on United Synagogue's Hurricane Relief Fund, go to its website, www.uscj.org.

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