Asheville, N.C., Prepares for Rosh Hashanah Amid Hurricane Helene

by Ellen Braunstein – chabad.org

Just days before Rosh Hashanah, western North Carolina has been slammed by Hurricane Helene’s inland trek, leaving residents without power, water and food.

The Category 4 storm, which has already claimed 100 lives, made landfall on Thursday, sweeping through Florida and Georgia before ripping through North Carolina and continuing on through Tennessee, leaving a path of devastation in its wake.

Rabbi Shaya Susskind, who with his wife, Chana, co-directs Chabad-Lubavitch of Western North Carolina, based in Asheville, has been busy at work cooking, packing and delivering meals, as well as reaching out to friends and neighbors in the region, both within the Jewish community and outside of it. According to the rabbi, it has been difficult to account for all community members as the cell-service has been unreliable since the hurricane passed.

The Susskinds have also turned to social media to update community members of what Chabad has to offer, as well as to solicit volunteer help. “Right now, our focus is making contact with everyone we know to make sure they’re OK, as well as making sure everyone has food and water,” Rabbi Susskind said.

The torrential rain, causing storm surges of more than 24 feet, severely damaged the production and distribution system of City of Asheville’s water system. According to city officials, restoration of water for any use could be weeks away.

“We mourn the shocking loss and utter devastation across the [western North Carolina.] It is hard to believe what we are seeing in front of our eyes,” Chabad of Asheville wrote in a message posted to social media. “We are still accounting for elderly and single community members whom we can’t get through to, many of whom live on mountains with their roads washed away and trees blocking their homes.

“If you have sufficient gasoline, a safe vehicle, and are physically mobile enough to check in on these people and deliver food, water and an electric generator, please reach out to help us reach them.”

Team Effort

The holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which begins after sundown on Wednesday night, is fast approaching and has made the Susskinds’ work all the more pressing. For some, the holiday meal might be their first hot food in days.

Luckily, the Chabad center in downtown Asheville was mostly spared and still has electricity. Meaning, the Susskinds have fresh kosher food they are already distributing.

While the Susskinds have been coordinating relief efforts on the ground in Asheville, Chabad centers throughout North Carolina have stepped in to help with some of the logistical work.

Rabbi Bentzion Groner of Chabad of Charlotte has already twice made the 120-mile trip. The rabbi packed up a Sprinter model van with kosher food, generators, bottled water, gasoline and other supplies—generously donated by Chabad of Charlotte’s community—before embarking on the almost three-hour drive.

“There are neighborhoods either washed away or are completely blocked off. It’s a mountainous area so there are landslides,” said Groner, who heads the Friendship Circle and Zab’s Place for Chabad of Charlotte.

He notes that in addition to food and water, such basics as gasoline are hard to get in the Asheville area at the moment. “Something as simple as filling up the car with gas to get as close as possible to the hardest-hit neighborhoods to check up on people is a problem,” said Groner.

Two hundred miles away, Chabad of Greensboro was collecting bottled water, kosher non-perishable foods, charged electric generators and wipes to deliver to Asheville.

Hatzalah, a New York-based nonprofit Jewish emergency medical service, is chartering volunteers with chainsaws to cut felled trees and other equipment to rescue people in Asheville.

“A full search and rescue team with a command trailer and supplies is en-route from the NY/NJ area [is] arriving at Chabad at 3:00 a.m.,” Chabad of Asheville announced this afternoon. “Submit your missing friends and relatives … and WE WILL FIND THEM.”

Click here to contribute to Chabad of Asheville’s emergency relief efforts.