An emergency meeting was held Sunday between Jewish officials in Brooklyn and the leaders of the New York Haitian community to address the emerging needs of local Haitians.
The meeting took place at the business office of George Weinberger of Agudath Israel of America, in Flatbush.
Organizing the meeting were COJO of Flatbush, Agudath Israel, Crown Heights Jewish Community Council and Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
Participants included Congresswoman Yvette Clark, Councilman Mathieu Eugene and Councilman Jumaane Williams, who represent the largest Haitian community outside of Florida and Haiti in Brooklyn.
Representing Crown Heights was Chanina Sperlin, he joined Leon Goldenberg of COJO, Yechiel Kaufman of the Jewish Community Council of Boro Park and Agudath Israel’s board of trustees Shloime Werdiger, Elly Kleinman and Chaskel Bennett.
“This meeting is also about a neighbor-to-neighbor effort, trying to find out what we can do to help alleviate the local anxiety,” said Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Agudath Israel of America’s Vice President of community services.
“By Wednesday afternoon we had already alerted thousands of our members with the relevant donation information. Today, we are taking this to a new level.”
As word of the meeting got out, some 10 computers were donated to help local Haitians find love ones on the governor’s website and for other needs.
Orthodox Jewish daily Hamodia pledged to run free solicitation ads encouraging their readers to donate to reputable international organizations, said business manager Yonosson Moller.
“Today we gather as a cross section of our community to show by action that we share in the pain of our Haitian friends and are ready, willing, and able to respond,” said Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
“We all see the swift and expert work of Israeli doctors and rescue teams on the ground almost immediately following the 7.0 earthquake,” said Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.
“The Jewish response to the pain of others is legendary and today’s gathering is a continuation of the special heart the Jewish community always shows in times of crisis,” added Clarke, who was flanked by Lubavitch aide Eli Slavin.
Keep up your wonderful humanitarian work,
you are an example to the Nations!
For helping victims and/or relatives find each other.
they are the most efficient team there!
https://secure.bluehost.com/~zakafror/donations_e.php