DISASTER RELIEF How to Do Your Part
BY FRED CHERNOW
As North Shore Tower residents
who lived through
Hurricane Sandy, we
know firsthand when a natural
disaster strikes, nobody should
have to stand alone. Many of us
took in friends and family while
the rest of our city went dark.
Right now, fellow American
citizens in the Caribbean are in
desperate need of our help. UJAFederation
of New York has provided
immediate cash assistance, sent
teams of experts on the ground to
meet immediate needs, including
tracking the whereabouts of missing
family members, providing cash
assistance for temporary housing
and meeting medical needs.
Thanks to the power of UJA’s
network of nonprofits, they can
address humanitarian crises, natural
disasters, wars in Israel and
other emergencies at a moment’s
notice. Since 2005, UJA-Federation
has spent $81 million to bring
urgent relief to those on the ground
and aid long-term recovery from
numerous disasters. They need
our help now to provide current
assistance.
In Mexico, the recent earthquake
has caused unimaginable hardship
and loss. Hurricane Harvey left a
path of destruction in Texas, while
Florida copes with the devastation
of Irma. In each case, UJAFederation
was there to provide
assistance.
Arlene Wittels, North Shore
Towers resident, founder of The
Jewish Women’s Foundation of
New York, past UJA-Federation
Long Island Chair, and a top
leader with UJA’s Long Women’s
Campaign, shared her thoughts.
“UJA has a long history helping
victims when natural disaster hits.
UJA was on the ground immediately,
offering relief to victims of the
earthquake in Haiti and to victims
of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.
Now they’re helping millions
in Houston, the Virgin Islands,
Mexico and Puerto Rico.”
On October 1, 2017, just hours
after Yom Kippur ended, UJAFederation
delivered a plane
load of humanitarian supplies to
Puerto Rico, quickly followed by
three more deliveries via plane.
The generosity of long-time UJAFederation
donors made the flights
possible. You can now be part of
this life-saving effort. Supplies
included water and water filtration
tablets, insulin, diapers and baby
formula, first aid kits, batteries and
work gloves. Together with funding
from national federations, UJAFederation
has also provided 200
generators to the Virgin Islands.
UJA-Federation President Jeff
Schoenfeld, along with other UJA
leadership was on the first flight
and personally delivered humanitarian
supplies packed by the Afya
Foundation for distribution by the
JCC in Puerto Rico. Jeff Schoenfeld
writes: “…They have no electricity,
they have no generators, and they
aren’t likely to have power for
another 2–4 months. The water
supply is once again flowing, but it
is not clean for drinking, cooking…
local community members lined
up waiting to fill empty bags with
life essentials… I am once again
reminded how much work there
is to do in this world to better the
lives of others.”
UJA-Federation can be proud
their support has already provided
lifesaving supplies as well as relocation
and rebuilding assistance
in these current emergencies. Our
support makes all the difference.
Donate today to the Disaster Relief
Fund. (Address in box below).
Encourage your neighbors to do
the same.
“Many North Shore Towers
resident have been looking to
help victims in Houston and
Puerto Rico,” NST resident Gary
Zwetchkenbaum said. “Our community
can make a real difference
in the lives of those who have faced
sudden and incredible devastation.
I was so happy to learn UJA can
help us make an impact.”
The job is far from over and
North Shore Tower residents have
a channel to provide help as UJAFederation
continues to partner
with nonprofits on the ground,
with government, and with the
larger faith-based community to
get people the help they so desperately
need.
In Caguas, Puerto Rico, a
58-year-old teacher died because
he had to go a week without his
portable oxygen tank which helped
him breathe. His body went unrefrigerated
for so long the funeral
director could not prepare his badly
decomposed body for burial. In
hospitals, dialysis treatment hours
have been cut back to save fuel for
generators. There are 3.5 million
Americans in Puerto Rico, all of
whom face a looming health crisis.
Eneas Arkawy, long-time
North Shore Towers resident and
dedicated UJA-Federation lay leader
talks from her heart, “The recent
natural disasters have left a great
deal of human suffering in their
wake. I am so proud of the swift
response of UJA Federation of New
York and I am so proud to be part
of an organization which steps up
to support others in need, in our
own backyard, around the country
and around the world.”
Add another dimension to your
Thanksgiving celebration this year
by sending your check today.
God Bless all the Americas.
Lifesavers: The UJA Federation Disaster Relief Team
DONATE
TODAY
Make your check payable to
“UJA-Federation of New York”
Send to: UJA-Federation,
6900 Jericho Tpke, Suite 302,
Syosset, New York, 11791
NOTE: Write “Disaster Relief”
on the check memo and 100%
of the funds will go directly to
relieve the victims of these recent
disasters.
Any questions? Email Sherri
Candel at candels@ujafedny.org
or call 516.762.5896
10 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ November 2017
