Update: As of Sunday, August 13, the death toll from the Maui fires stood at 93.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – For Jewish San Diegans, there was little to do immediately about the massive fires that swept through Lahaina and other parts of the island of Maui, except to contribute money to reputable relief organizations and to reach out to friends and relatives who either were living on the island or visiting the historic former capital of the Hawaiian royal family.
Len Hyman, president of the Chabad of La Costa, reported that his son Michael had been preparing to move into a 2,980-square foot, 3-bedroom, 3-bath house with a pool that he had purchased in Lahaina but it was destroyed in the conflagration. Also destroyed was the preschool that Michael and Lauren Hyman’s son Jacob, 4, had been attending for a couple of years, as well as the public school that Jacob was scheduled to enter later this year. The destruction occurred the same day that Jacob’s sister, Quinn, was celebrating her first birthday. For now, the young family will remain in a smaller home in Napili, located about 10 miles from Lahaina. “The people living in Lahaina are going through hell,” Len Hyman commented. “I can’t believe the destruction.”
Heidi Gantwerk, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego, posted a notice that a fund has been created by the Federation to help wildfire victims. Money so raised will flow through the Jewish Federations of North America’s wildlife relief fund which is being supported by contributions from throughout the United States and Canada.
Gantwerk messaged on Friday, Aug. 11: “We are heartbroken as we take in the images from Maui, where wildfires have taken dozens of lives and devastated the historic town of Lahaina. Not only is support urgently needed in Maui, but also throughout the state, particularly in Honolulu, as people flee the fires in search of shelter, currently in scarce supply on Maui. In Honolulu, Jewish communal organizations are among those working around the clock to support those in need.”
“Federation is deeply committed to serving our community during times of crisis,” Gantwerk continued. “As the fires continue to wreak havoc, we feel a profound obligation to extend our helping hand. We stand together with those affected, and we believe that our collective efforts can make a significant impact. And here in San Diego, the images of neighborhoods ravaged by wildfire are all too familiar. We know better than most what it takes to get through these initial chaotic days, and what it will take to rebuild.”
Gantwerk reported that “San Diego’s own Cohn Restaurant Group is supporting their Maui team members, their families, and the local community with a food pantry to serve any and all in the area.”
The Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, led by Beth Sirull, posted a notice that the Hawaii Community Foundation has created a “Maui Strong Fund” that provides “resources for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.”
“The Jewish Community Foundation’s donor base is amongst the most generous—we granted over $170 million last year!” Sirull messaged San Diego Jewish World. “Like everyone, we have been stunned by the decimation, and the speed with which it happened. And our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes. We feel for the Hawaiian community that has lost important symbols of its history in the destruction. We are encouraging our donors to support those in need today as well as to support ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts.”
The Jewish Community Foundation also noted in its posting that the Jewish Congregation of Maui, in the Kehei area on the other side of the island from Lahaina, was providing shelter for people escaping the fires and was accepting donations of emergency supplies. That congregation requested local donations of non-perishable foods, clothing, slippers, diapers, first-aid, toiletries, feminine products, baby food and formula, all of which would be transported to the Maui War Memorial Center to provide relief for those in need.
The Jewish Community Foundation in San Diego also reported that Chabad of Maui was in the evacuation zone, “about two miles from the fire line and that volunteers are standing by, ready to get Torah scrolls and other Jewish ritual objects out of the building, if needed.” When the fires decimated Lahaina on Wednesday, August 9, Chabad rabbi Mendy Krasnjansky was on vacation on the U.S. mainland and trying to get back to his congregation, Louis Keene of The Forward reported.
Rabbi Cheri Weiss, spiritual leader of Temple Emanu-El of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, received many inquiries from people who remembered her tenure as the Rabbi and Cantor of the San Diego Outreach Synagogue concerning to which organizations people should donate. She recommended the Hawaii Community Foundation, while also noting that the Maui Humane Society “has a wish list on Amazon for items needed. They realize that Amazon items may not arrive immediately, and they will still need these items when they come.”
Rabbi Weiss also recommended donations to the Jewish Congregation of Maui as well as to Maui Kosher Farm, a Chabad-affiliated enterprise which reports that it is “hosting and feeding many misplaced locals and tourists” and states that “all proceeds will go to assisting our fellow Jews affected by the fires.” Another organization that Rabbi Weiss sent “wishes of comfort, health and safety” to was Maui Jewish ‘Ohana (Family).
In an email to her congregants, Weiss commented: “Temple Emanu-El mourns for those who have lost their lives in the catastrophic wildfires on Maui, and we grieve for those who have lost loved ones. The loss of property and businesses is enormous, and it will be a long time until the full measure of that loss is assessed. … On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the congregation of Temple Emanu-El, we encourage you to help those in need on Maui during this difficult time. I thank you for your compassion and caring in fulfilling this most important mitzvah.”
Rabbi Yael Ridberg of Congregation Dor Hadash in San Diego reported that she had sent a donation to the Hawaii Community Foundation, adding that she was “praying for the safety of all inhabitants. Aloha.”
Hawaii’s Jewish Gov. Josh Green described the fires which took the lives of at least 80 people, with searches continuing inside at least 1,700 destroyed buildings in Lahaina, as Hawaii’s “worst disaster” since a tsunami in 1961 killed 61 people on the Hawaiian Islands.
“To give perspective, it is going to take many years to rebuild Lahaina,” the governor said. “When you see the full extent of the destruction of Lahaina, it will shock you. It does appear like a bomb went off and all those buildings virtually are going to have to be built into a new Lahaina.”
Even restoring power will be a long haul, the Hawaiian governor said. “We’re talking about more than just days. We’re talking about weeks or months, in some cases, to get energy fully restored.”
Among the historic landmarks were 19th century churches that served members of Hawaii’s royal family; the Old Lahaina Courthouse, which was a center for government offices during the monarchy period, and the Baldwin Home Museum, built by 1835 that was the oldest home on the island.
Severely burned was Lahaina’s 150-year-old banyan tree, about 60 feet tall and spreading horizontally for about an acre.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com