Battered by Hurricane Fiona, Puerto Rico Jews Prepare for Rosh Hashanah

by Faygie Levy Holt – chabad.org

With Rosh Hashanah fast approaching and power and fresh water still unavailable over much of the island, Chabad of Puerto Rico has issued a call for emergency supplies as they prepare to meet the Jewish community’s spiritual needs on the High Holidays.

Rabbi Mendel Zarchi, director of Chabad of Puerto Rico, has put out an urgent request for materials, including diapers for both babies and the elderly; Tylenol, Advil and other pain relievers; first-aid kits; kosher canned food; bottled water; toothbrushes and toothpaste; flashlights; batteries; snack and protein bars; sleeping bags; soap; hand sanitizers and other staples. Kayco (Kedem) food is already providing “substantial supplies in support and solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico,” says Zarchi.

“We hope and pray we can respond to all the needs as they come to us,” Zarchi tells Chabad.org

The rabbi’s own home has sustained some damage and is without power. The Chabad center is running on generators, which are keeping the thousands of dollars worth of food that had been purchased for communal meals over the holidays fresh. 

Five years almost to the day of the deadliest storm in Puerto Rico’s history, Fiona blew through the island on Sunday, dumping massive amounts of rain that flooded much of the island, left thousands homeless, and damaged vital infrastructure.

Power went off across the island on Sunday afternoon and remains out for most, along with sources for fresh drinking water, as heat indexes on parts of the island are expected to reach well over 100 degrees.  

“There are lots of challenges. People who need help and assistance, people who need medicine or are on oxygen, and hospitals that need power to run their medical equipment,” said Zarchi. “We hope the infrastructure which is very deficient is corrected so that we don’t have to go through this kind of pain every few years.”

Zarchi led Chabad’s massive relief efforts after Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2017 and killed more than 3,000 people and destroyed the island’s electrical grid. Damage from that hurricane was still visible even before Fiona hit this week. 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Rosh Hashanah was celebrated in Chabad’s flooded synagogue, which served as both a shelter and a place of worship for Jews on the dazed and battered island. While it’s still too early to tell exactly what the situation will be when Rosh Hashana begins this year on Sunday night, Sept. 25, they are working hard to make that happen again this year. 

Fiona, Zarchi said, “is almost déjà vu.”

“It’s especially sad because people are now expecting the worst, which is an unfortunate way to live,” said Zarchi. “Puerto Rico has gone through this one too many times. It takes a huge economic toll and is a great burden on the most vulnerable.”

According to the National Weather Service, Fiona’s challenges for the island aren’t over yet:

“Catastrophic and life-threatening flash, urban and moderate-to-major river flooding, as well as mudslide are likely for southern and eastern Puerto Rico through Tuesday due to rainfall from Hurricane Fiona.”

Chabad of Puerto Rico has set up a website for donations to aid in relief efforts: www.JewishPuertoRico.com/relief. It has also established an “Amazon Wishlist” for those wanting to purchase items directly.

This article has been reprinted with permission from chabad.org