Jewish Herald Voice By MICHAEL C. DUKE 18.SEP.08
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| Photo by JHV: MICHAEL C. DUKE
Charlotte Motley surveys the damage to the ninth floor of Goldberg Towers’ west building. |
Galveston devastated, Goldberg Towers damaged, Houston Jewish institutions still largely without power
[...] The Chabad Lubavitch Center-Texas Regional Headquarters lost fencing and its large rooftop menorah, which fell on its property causing no injuries or damage to the building. [...] All four of these institutions still were without power on Sept. 18. [...]
Goldberg Towers loses roof
The B’nai B’rith Goldberg Towers suffered the heaviest damage among Jewish institutions in Houston. The Goldberg Towers is home to 474 elderly residents, many of whom are Jews from the former Soviet Union. The roof on the west tower was torn off, causing massive water and wind damage to the eight and ninth floors. The residents of the 36 affected apartments were relocated to lower floors, family members’ homes and/or Seven Acres, after the storm. |
| Photo by JHV: MICHAEL C. DUKE
Charlotte Motley surveys the damage on the roof of Goldberg Towers’ west building. |
Goldberg Towers administrator, Charlotte Motley, credited several organizations for their “Herculean” aid efforts. Many of the Goldberg Towers residents were without adequate food supplies. In response, the federation helped secure two days’ worth of MREs from FEMA. The Houston Food Bank delivered hundreds of cases of food and bottled water on Sept. 15. Houston Chabad Lubavtich, on Sept. 14 and 15, set up barbeque pits outside the Goldberg Towers and provided hot kosher meals; Texas A&M Chabad supplied tarps to cover the damaged floors. Pearl’s Soul Food Café also donated barbeque dinners. Feed the Children will be donating an additional week’s worth of food and water to the Goldberg Towers, according to federation officials; the delivery is expected to arrive by Sept. 18.
The federation and Seven Acres worked to secure generators, fuel and construction aid to the Goldberg Towers. Jewish Family Service has assisted with logistics and manpower, and is providing grocery cards for families and individuals in need. Home to dozens of Asian residents, as well, Goldberg Towers also has received aid from the nearby Houston Chinese Church.
Repairs have already begun on the damaged west tower. All broken windows had been replaced by Sept. 16, and fans were working to dry out the flooded apartment units and hallways. Goldberg Towers is working with H.U.D. to secure temporary housing for the affected residents, Motley indicated; repairs are expected to go on for several weeks.
[...]
On Sept. 16, Brith Shalom, Chabad, UOS, Young Israel and the federation helped secure the delivery of 1,000 kosher Shabbat meals to Houston families. The meals were scheduled to arrive from New York on Sept. 19, to be sold from noon to 3 p.m. for $30 at Brith Shalom synagogue, 4610 Bellaire Blvd., on a first-come, first-serve basis. Brith Shalom congregant Lisa Estees noted that these kosher Shabbat meals, which feed a family of five and can be eaten hot or cold, will help restore a sense of “normalcy” to Jewish life in Houston. [..]
The Jewish Federation and Seven Acres, especially, have performed heroic efforts to ensure that Jews throughout southeast Texas have the assistance and aid they require; other local Jewish organizations and institutions, such as Chabad and JFS, have done their parts, as well, by keeping families and the community fed, watered, connected and informed during times in which communications and supplies have been limited. Local Jews have pulled, and continue to pull, together to help their fellow Jews and non-Jews alike in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
