"It is a humbling experience to accept Tzedakah, but one that has made me a much more thoughtful giver," Ann Kimball, who was president of Temple Sinai in New Orleans when Katrina hit, wrote to presidents as the latest storms approached. "Never in my life have I felt such overwhelming love and support than I did starting that week,and it still continues to this day. The staffs of both our North American and regional offices were on the phones, in our synagogues, asking how they could help and then providing that help."
That, my friends, is what the Union for Reform Judaism is all about. And now, three years after Katrina, we are being called upon to once more join forces to help the victims of a hurricane. And that is why we are asking you to give to the URJ Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund.
The Union is already helping victims. During Hurricane Gustav, the URJ Camp Jacobs opened its doors to evacuees from New Orleans. And as of this writing, hundreds remain at the URJ Greene Family Camp, which is a Red Cross Evacuation Center. But this is just a start.
While Hurricane Gustav spared New Orleans, it left its mark on the Baton Rouge community, where 40 percent of its residents were without power for a week or more.
Hurricane Ike may have been downgraded to a tropical storm, but it continues to cause incredible damage, bringing flood and death to the Midwest. It is too soon to know the impact it has had on our synagogues and their members in Galveston, Lake Charles, Beaumont and Clear Lake (we will be posting information online at www.urj.org/relief), but we know from all reports that thousands of people will be homeless and in dire need of assistance.
As of this morning, close to three million residences and businesses in the Gulf Coast and Midwest are without power, and the flooding is substantial. The people in these areas need our help - and that is why we have opened the Hurricane Relief Fund. Our donations will help both our own member congregations and the general public. And, as in the past, all donations, less any fees charged by credit card companies, will be used for these efforts.
We urge you to join us in helping the victims of these storms by making a donation to this fund today-and urging everyone you know to join you as well.
Peter Weidhorn Chairman Union for Reform Judaism Rabbi Eric Yoffie President Union for Reform Judaism
