Here is a link to a fund to help fire victims in CA. Perhaps we can do something through them as a congregation.

What are concrete ways we can help? I received the following from my colleagues at the Board of Rabbis of Southern California. I believe this is a good start:

• The Jewish Federation has created a directed fund to support individuals and institutions impacted by the fires. Here is the link to that fund. Please send this out to your community-members so they can contribute. 100 % of the donations will go directly to those who need it.

• The Federation has also set up a hotline for those in need of housing, counseling, evacuation center information, and emergency loans from our partners at Jewish Free Loan. The hotline number is 323-761-8100.

• The Federation is opening its valley offices at Ventura and Corbin beginning at 9:00 am tomorrow morning. Representatives from Jewish Family Services and Beit Tzedek are at deToledo High School today and will be at Federation Valley offices tomorrow to assist individuals who have been impacted by the fires.

• The Federation’s valley offices are also open to organizations or individuals whose office space has been evacuated or destroyed. Please be in touch with Rabbi Ilana Grinblat igrinblat@jewishla.org if you need to use this space.

•Here is a link to a resource on how to talk with and help children cope after a disaster or traumatic event.

We also encourage you to bring gift cards directly to Temple Akiba. We can then deliver them to organizations that can best use them.

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There are times that life hurts. And we gather with others as much as we can. We hug each other. We cry. We reach in. We question. But most important, we love.

Rabbi Zach Shapiro

Temmple Akiba of Culver City
5249 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
Rabbi Zachary R. Shapiro | Temple Akiba, Culver City, CA 90230

Contributed by Helen Cherry