Project Tzohar: September 7, 2005

Relief Fund: The donations to the United Synagogue Hurricane Relief Fund continue to arrive. The outpouring of support and concern for those left homeless by the hurricane has been overwhelming. Thank you to all who have contributed and to all who are planning to contribute. The need is still great.

Your donations to the USCJ Hurricane Relief Fund will help us ensure that the needs of the hurricane victims are being met. We are working with other Jewish organizations and the interfaith community to make sure there is a coordinated relief effort.

Relief officials worry that although people are very generous now, they will lose interest in hurricane relief in 30 to 45 days, and that's when the supplies now on hand will run out. They hope that donors will remember to continue to give. At United Synagogue, we hope that our members will remember the flood victims as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach, and give money as part of their individual teshuvah.

We have been told by all the relief agencies working with refugees that the great need - and it is a very great need - is for cash. It is far too difficult to arrange shipments of goods; cash is easy to send. It is far easier for relief officials to arrange large wholesale shipments from suppliers than to coordinate trucks laden with material. Shipments are not allowed into the relief shelters unless permissions are secured in advance, and such permissions are not easy to get.

In other words, extra stuff turns into garbage, but cash can be turned into real stuff. Keep in mind, we are told, that we should donate what flood victims need, not what makes us feel better to give.

Conservative Synagogues: The news from the Conservative synagogues most directly in the hurricane's path is better than it could have been. Shir Chadash in Metairie, La., right outside New Orleans, had only a few inches of water. There is some damage to the roof. The synagogue's built on a concrete slab, so the damage seems relatively minor. Synagogue leaders brought their Torah scrolls to the Federation building's third-floor offices, where they are safe. Members have scattered; many are in Houston, some in Dallas, Tulsa, and other places. The rabbi and his wife, who is pregnant, are in Atlanta. Most synagogue members have checked in, and all are believed safe. More news should be coming today, when Jefferson Parish is opened to allow residents to look at the damage.

Congregation Beth Israel in Biloxi, Miss., sustained a lot of water damage but its leaders believe that it can be repaired, although that will take a long time. Most families left the region before the storm; some already have returned, and some phone and electrical service has been restored. At least three families lost their homes, and not everyone is accounted for yet. Past Beth Israel president LoriBeth Sussman, who is a member of United Synagogue's Southeast region board, hope to hold services outside the synagogue this Friday evening for people who stayed in Biloxi during the storm or having returned there.

Supplies: Two Conservative synagogues in Texas have been able to help in material ways. Congregation Beth Yeshurun of Houston has donated 40,000 pounds of chicken; members will cook and serve it at the Astrodome. Congregation Brith Shalom in Bellaire delivered 3,500 personal toiletry kits for use by the refugees.

The relief agencies in Houston have made a specific request for personal toiletry kits. They will need thousands of the kits over the next several weeks. Although it is not a good idea for people to do this project on their own, United Synagogue recommends that synagogues work on putting together plastic bags with toiletries. The request is specific - get half-gallon plastic baggies, and pack each one with a tooth brush, a regular-size tube of toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, and a travel-size pack of wet wipes. The anticipated need is for at least 20,000 bags, so it makes sense to send them in bulk. As of right now, Congregation Brith Shalom is accepting bulk shipments of the bagged toiletries for delivery to the distribution centers and appropriate agencies. However, the situation on the ground is very fluid and distribution centers will change. Therefore, if your congregation packs toiletry kits, please email Gayle Brill Mittler at gbm52@yahoo.com when they are ready to be shipped. We will let you know where to send them.

People can contribute directly to Beth Yeshurun or Brith Shalom, and those syangogues will apply those funds to their hurricane relief work.

Housing: We have been receiving many offers to house storm refugees; Harry Silverman, the director of our Southeast region, who is spearheading the hurricane relief efforts, has been storing those offers in a database. He is coordinating these efforts with the National Association of Jewish Family and Childrens Services So far, the association reports, there have not been any requests for housing, but if such requests come in we will be well positioned to fill them. The problem now is that people need transitional housing less than they need jobs. People offering housing are being told that it's a nine- to twelve-month commitment.

We will keep you updated as new information comes in.

Updates:

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