Home > Blog > Clergy > How You Can Help Hurricane Victims
The destruction from hurricanes Helene and Milton is terrible, and we know many of you are looking for ways to help. Rabbi Shankman has been in touch with colleagues in both Asheville, NC and Florida, asking what they need right now. The following is a letter from Rabbi Batsheva H. Meiri of Congregation Beth HaTephila in Asheville.
I cannot give enough thanks to the chorus of loved ones, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who have reached out to me from all over the country and Israel (!!) over the last days in solidarity and support for Asheville and our CBHT community. WE FEEL YOUR LOVE. And we are praying for those in Florida who are still reeling and being hit again themselves.
After serving CBHT for the last 16+ years, I knew I was part of an amazing community of dear, dear people with huge hearts and fierce spirits. Covid was a further confirmation of their mettle. And this disaster is proof again of how extraordinary they are. I cannot thank everyone in our Temple community enough for caring for one another and for our Temple family during these challenging times.
I also want to shout out to Rabbi Asher Knight of Temple Beth El in Charlotte who has taken a very personal interest in supporting our congregation in so many ways already. He has organized our NC clergy association to be of help and he is hosting a site for donations 100% of which will go to our members in the most need. We have people who have lost everything. And, we are thankful that everyone made it through alive. That is not the case all around us.
If you didn’t receive that link to donate, here it is. Please spread it to all those you know who might be asking how they can help.
https://tbe.shulcloud.com/form/rbm-discretionary-fund.html
Here is where things stand today:
Our temple has power (!) but no running water. We are grateful to JFNA for supplying us and our sister congregations with port-0-johns and eventually satellites for internet. We will be able to hold daytime services for YK. Michael Barnett, the ED of JFS Asheville has been coordinating with JFNA for emergency needs of all kinds and is organizing emotional support to our members as well. We are all dealing with the trauma and disruptiveness and tragedy unfolding around us.
Yes, things are tough. Many are without running water, power and connectivity and don’t know when any of that will be restored. Others have lost everything. So the donations are vital for the long term efforts. But we are flush (haha) with drinking water thanks to many congregations in the area who have trucked in amazing amounts of bottled water.
The moral of the story is that we couldn’t do this without all of you. Thank you, thank you and thank you again.
May you all be inscribed for a sweet and NEW year.
Love,
Batsheva
