Shliach Assists After Mudslide

Rabbi Shmuel Hecht, the Chabad Shliach of the Okanagan in British Columbia was dispatched by Misaskim to the site of a tragic landslide that hit Johnsons Landing in B.C.

Rabbi Hecht is playing a key role in ensuring the proper kavod hames to victims of this natural disaster and has been working around the clock with Misaskim and other askonim since Misaskim received a phone requesting help on Motzei Shabbos.

The first slide happened Thursday, July 12th, when rocks, mud and trees crashed down a mountain above the shores of Kootenay Lake, ripping through Johnsons Landing. Another slide followed on Friday. At least three houses were engulfed when the wall of mud, rock and trees cascaded down the hillside.

Valentine Webber, 60; his two daughters Diana Webber, 22, and Rachel Webber, 17; and Petra Frehse, 64, have been missing since the landslide hit Thursday.

Three of the victims, Valentine Webber and his two daughters, are believed to be Jewish. Frehse is a German retiree who would spend part of her year living in a home next door to the Webbers.

The Webbers were about to sit down to breakfast moments before the slide hit, Lynn Migdal, Valentine Webber’s ex-wife said. Migdal currently resides in Delray Beach, Florida.

Rescue crews couldn’t access the area for more than 24 hours after overnight storms saturated the slide area and downed trees, blocking the only road access and leaving the area accessible only by air or water.

Misaskim was prepared to send in a team of trained volunteers to assist with the recovery effort. But after numerous discussions with law enforcement in the region, Misaskim was briefed about the dangerous condition. In fact, the search and rescue teams were recalled numerous times due to the dangers of additional mudslides and unstable conditions on the ground.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was in charge of the rescue operations that ended on Sunday. The RCMP attempted a difficult and grueling search and rescue operation on the slippery terrain under a relentless downpour. However, when the body of the Valentine Weber was found near the foundation of the home on Sunday, the rescue mission was officially called off and the B.C. Coroner’s Services began recovery operations.

Misaskim is working with Rabbi Mendel Friedman – the head of Toronto Hatzolah and Rabbi Shmuel Hecht, along with other askonim. Rabbi Hecht is working alongside the B.C. Coroner’s Service to ensure proper kavod hames. In addition, Mrs. Judy Benfield is working tirelessly traveling back and forth to the site to offer any assistance that the family may need.