Chabad Present As Tornado Hits

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Mary C

The Chicago Bears stopped its game, Chabad didn’t.

As a fast-moving storm system triggered multiple tornadoes in Illinois and Indiana on Sunday, a Chabad Shliach vowed to continue his activities.

Rabbi Eli Langsam of Chabad in Peoria, Illinois, didn’t cancel an inspiring presentation about Jewish perseverance scheduled for Sunday.

In fact, he used the opportunity of community members gathering to call on an organized effort to provide relief and support to those who will need it.

Delivering the evening’s talk was David Nesenoff, the filmmaker who exposed the anti Semitic views of Helen Thomas, Dean of the White House Press Corps.

Speaking at Chabad, Nesenoff told how the revelation has helped find his path from being a Conservative ordained rabbi to embracing the authentic Judaism of Chabad.

“Chabad never closes. In fact, while I was speaking the sun came out,” said Nesenoff who is on another speaking tour covering Toronto, Champagne, Orlando, Nashville, Birmingham, Raleigh and Charlotte.

Rabbi Langsam and Nesenoff visited the Bradley University and the AEpi Jewish frat house in Peoria, where they helped students put on Tefillin and do a mitzvah in honor of the tornado’s victims.

31 people injured by the storm were being treated at St. Francis Medical Center, one of the main hospitals in Peoria, according to hospital spokeswoman Amy Paul. 8 had traumatic injuries.

“Entire areas are closed off and evacuated,” Nesenoff told COLlive. “We tried to visit a lady from the community that rabbi couldn’t reach by phone. We’re heading back because the area is totally devastated and filled with police roadblocks.”