Jewish Couple Among Superstorm Dead

Stephen Oryszczuk - Thursday 1st November 2012


American Jewish groups are pooling resources to create a relief fund for people affected by Hurricane Sandy.

The main umbrella group for Jewish communities, the Jewish Federation of North America, will raise the money for recovery and reconstruction efforts.

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It comes after the superstorm, which tore through the Caribbean, eastern United States and Canada this week, left at least 130 dead, including more than 20 in New York.

Among the dead were Jacob Vogelman and Jessie Streich-Kest, a young Jewish couple, who were killed by a falling tree in Brooklyn.

JFNA President Jerry Silverman said in a statement: "We send our support and prayers to those affected by the hurricane, and stand beside them during the recovery and rebuilding."

The Union of Reform Judaism also started a relief effort to help communities struck by the devastating storm, with URJ chairman Steve Sacks saying: "This storm will require a long-term, coordinated recovery effort."

The news came as the Jewish community on the east coast slowly began opening its doors once again. The Jewish Cultural Centre in Manhattan and the UJIA Federation of New York reopened on Wednesday after the closure of schools and businesses across the city. Jewish organisations in Long Island however remained closed due to power outages.

Earlier, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had led evacuation efforts, leaving the financial capital largely shut down.

On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama surveyed the city's wreckage and described the disaster as "heart-breaking."

The Republican Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, was among those praising the president for his handling of the crisis so far, calling it "outstanding."

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