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Central Synagogue
New York City
by Mahri Leonard-Fleckman
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After months of persistence, Central Synagogue, a congregation of Reform Judaism in New York City, finally managed to welcome hurricane evacuees in late October. Jacqueline Stelmok and her husband, Eli Peretz, arrived in New York shortly after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home on the east coast of Florida, and were essentially homeless. Now, thanks to the generosity of Central Synagogue, the couple has taken up residence in Astoria, New York as they work to reestablish their lives.
According to Rabbi Sarah Reines, Central Synagogue struggled with how to offer a meaningful response to displaced Gulf Coast families. After Hurricane Katrina hit, members spent weeks calling agencies, trying to find ways to connect with evacuees. Unfortunately, they found only disorganization in the wake of the disaster, and like many frustrated congregations across the country, the synagogue contented itself with donating to relief efforts – in their case, through the Reform movement in Mississippi.
In the meantime, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee at the NYC Office of Emergency Management recovery center in lower Manhattan referred Jacqueline and Eli to EMM. The couple, originally from Israel, lived in New York until the terror attacks of September 11, 2001; in the wake of the hurricane, New York became a natural place of refuge for them. Interestingly, the New York Disaster Interfaith Service (NYDIS), formed to strengthen faith communities’ ties after 9/11, identified Central Synagogue for sponsorship.
For Jacqueline and Eli, being offered assistance by the synagogue was a dream come true. For the good people of Central Synagogue, the feeling was mutual.
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