San Diego Jews could use a hand.
As the wildfires burn in Southern California, hundreds of thousands of San Diego County residents have had to evacuate. And, not-surprisingly, Chabad-Lubavitch representatives mobilized immediately. Removing the Torah scrolls, backing up their computer files, and printing out community member lists, the Shluchim at over a dozen Chabad centers in the city immediately went to work ensuring that every person appearing on their community list was accounted for.
Four centers were initially designated shelters as safety permitted, with information posted on Chabad San Diego's websites for anyone needing help, each of which made food and shelter available as needed. Chabad's website reports that around 4:30am Monday morning, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Chabad rep to Chabad of Poway, grabbed his community list and began going door-to-door to help his community evacuate. Many had no idea how bad the situation had become. “They thought I was coming to fetch them for morning services,” he said.
Goldstein, who is also Chaplain with the Sherrif’s Department, said to Chabad.org, “When they left, they saw the flames advancing, and many are frantic that their homes were destroyed. They are desperate to know what has happened to their homes." (For information on relief efforts in Rancho Bernado/Poway, click here.) The Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla is among the area Jewish facilities that have been evacuated. Over one hundred residents of the Jewish Sea Crest retirement village were evacuated Monday night, as well. Though the San Diego Jewish Federation is out of the fire zones and not in any danger, many of its employees have been evacuated from their homes and are not at work. It is not known if any of the area's synagogues have been damaged, but a number are, apparently, in fire zones.
Jewish communal leaders in San Diego County held a conference call Tuesday to discuss the situation, however, in the meantime, The Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Foundation and the Jewish Family Service of San Diego have set up the Jewish Community Disaster Fund to help assist with relief.
Information on donations can be found at Jewish San Diego. To locate any Chabad representatives in San Diego, click here.
Nice one for making the effort go over this particular, I think truly about this and consequently true love knowing more to do with that niche. Assuming would-be, any time you attain practical knowledge, would you ideas posting to any site by working with further important information? This is great for everyone.
I gotta favorite this website it seems invaluable extremely helpful