Friends,
As we head into the Jewish High Holy Days, we find ourselves closing the books on two historic years of hurricane response. When our NECHAMA team departed for Houston, Texas in September 2017 in response to Hurricane Harvey, nothing could have prepared us, or the country, for what was to follow.
Two years of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes affected community after community as Harvey, Irma, Maria, Michael, Florence, and Dorian, struck along the Atlantic, Carribean, and Gulf coasts.
Thousands of volunteers, supporters, and donors have joined us performing Tikkun Olam,bringing hope and comfort to storm-affected communities. Together, we made a significant impact for those who would not otherwise have the means to address or repair their homes, making them safe again for over 500 families.
During these past few years, we have listened to those impacted, allowing us to continue to grow as an organization, and learned to provide a more fundamentally holistic approach of services to communities and families. As communities called for help, we worked together, furthering the recovery effort, enabling them to better prepare for, and respond to, future events.
As we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a time for reflection, renewal, and new beginnings; we find ourselves giving thought to where NECHAMA has been as an organization, and where we are heading. Historically, our work has been supported by donations reacting to the larger well-publicized natural disasters; at times leaving the smaller lesser-known events without financial assistance. Only with general funding are we able to respond to low attention events as we have in Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, and Missouri over the last two years. With your financial support, we can assess and respond to more events, historic and low attention. You are allowing us to provide hope and comfort and practice Tikkun Olam for many more communities affected by natural disasters.
As we turn the page into the year 5780 in the Jewish calendar, we celebrate the season with friends and family, enjoying apples and honey; reflecting with the sounding of the shofar, and revisiting our relationships as we give thought to our year, health and happiness. We ask that you also take this time to invest in our work and the purpose of NECHAMA.
Please join me in supporting NECHAMA as part of our shared commitment to acts of lovingkindness (Gemilut Chasadim), to doing justice and charity (Tzedekah), to loving the stranger (Ahavat Orchim), to not standing idly by when others are in need (Lo Ta’Amod), to compassion (Rachamim), and to repairing the world – one family, one community at a time (Tikkun Olam).
I ask you to choose to start the year with a commitment to Tikkun Olam, to focus on comfort and compassion, to radiate hope and healing. Your donation today does just that. Please give generously so our shared work can continue to grow and impact communities and families experiencing natural disasters.
Yours in service.
David Kaplan
Executive Director