On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian slammed into the west coast of Florida, leaving a trail of devastation and destruction in its wake. Hundreds of thousands of residents were left without power and found themselves lacking basic supplies, with no way to leave.
Less than 24 hours later, the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center was already at work sending relief to those affected by the storm. At first, the severely affected areas were not even accessible by normal transportation, but that did not stop the team of staff and volunteers! Instead, they reached out to Hatzalah of South Florida, a Jewish emergency response team, for help delivering the equipment that had been gathered.
The Stahl family of DXWeb and their highly dedicated group of donors and volunteers were instrumental in coordinating the massive relief efforts. They purchased generators, barbecue grills, freezers, gas tanks, and fuel to be sent to the west coast that first night. They then created an Amazon wish list with basic necessities, ranging from diapers to food supplies to sanitary items and everything in between. They sent the list out to all their contacts and the donations began pouring in.
Over the next month, multiple trucks were sent out from Las Olas to Fort Myers and other affected communities, where local leaders coordinated the distribution of goods to those who needed them. There were boxes upon boxes of supplies collected by students at Eagle Point Elementary in Weston and Posnack Jewish Day School; a truckload of meat, produce and other perishable food items donated by the Zebersky family; and brand-new kitchen appliances donated by Bill Feinberg of Allied Kitchen and Bath.
All throughout, there was a steady stream of people arriving to drop off their donations of food and supplies, and many monetary online donations towards the relief efforts. It has been heartwarming and awe-inspiring to see the love and dedication our donors and volunteers consistently display, often for people they have never even met!
One of the core Jewish values is Ahavat Yisrael, love of one’s fellow, and at the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center, we are proud to be part of a community that truly embodies this mitzvah.
