Project Tzohar: September 2, 2005

Rabbi Steven Silberman of Ahavas Chesed reports that both he and his synagogue are fine, although as of Thursday parts of the area still were without power. The home and belongings of at least two of his congregants were entirely destroyed; he has not heard from some congregants who were in Biloxi.

Many Jewish families displaced from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast have gone to Houston, reports Gary Swarz, the president of Congregation Beth Yeshurun there. The congregation has set up Shabbat dinner and lunch, will arrange for kosher food, and will accept children into its day school. The congregation welcomes its "cousins" from across the South.

Beth Yeshurun also has reached out to the larger community. More than 250 volunteers will go to the Astrodome next week to help serve the evacuees sheltering there. They also have offered to go to another shelter, bringing food that they will cook and serve to about 500 hurricane refugees. This offer, being arranged through the American Red Cross and the Houston Food Bank, includes a truckload of 40,000 pounds of chicken. Beth Yeshurun members plan to cook and then serve 800 pounds of chicken at a time, and to keep coming back to cook and serve until it's all done.

Richard S. Moline and Rabbi Elyse R. Winick have written a prayer in response to the hurricane; they suggest that it be read in synagogues this weekend.

Stephen Richer, the president of Biloxi's Congregation Beth Israel, writes, "Our building survived the storm, but has been damaged. We have not yet been able to determine the extent of the damage, the location of all of our congregants, or how much our insurance will cover."

Reporting that the office building where he works on the beach in Gulfport, was washed away by the tidal surge, he adds, "Many of us don't know if we have homes to go to."

The synagogue's resident manager got out safely, and took the Torah scrolls to safety as well, he writes; but the congregation now has nowhere to hold High Holiday services.

"I don't think there is any mail going into Biloxi, Gulfport, or anywhere on the Mississippi Gulf Coast right now," he continues. "Phones and e-mail are also down, as there is no power. Power restoration is weeks, if not more away. Hundreds are dead; thousands are homeless.

"In the immediate days, we need help (as do our neighbors in Louisiana and parts of Alabama) just to preserve life. People need potable water, food, power, shelter, gas, and other basic necessities. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANYTHING OTHER THAN CASH."

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