Agudas Yisroel of Bayswater Destroyed By Hurricane

13
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

agudah-of-bayswater-smallBayswater, NY – Long Island was among the main victims of Hurricane Sandy and one community bais knesses was particularly hard-hit.

Agudas Yisroel of Bayswater, located on Bayswater Avenue, and led by its rov, Rav Menachem Feifer, was completely flooded by the storm.

The Agudah of Bayswater, which is home to Yeshiva Zichron Aryeh, is located about a half-mile from the bay, where homes were destroyed by the storm. The shul itself is located slightly below street level and was under some seven feet of water.

A local community member related that the Sifrei Torah were removed prior to the storm. A Sefer Torah kept in a different local building wasn’t removed until the middle of the storm and sustained serious damage.

“The building of the Agudah is still standing,” a local resident said, “but everything inside – everything – has been destroyed. The shul will require a total renovation after just completing work made necessary after Hurricane Irene. From an aron kodesh, to a bimah, to seforim….there is just nothing that can be salvaged. ”

agudah-of-bayswaterThose who can assist in the relief effort may send donations to Agudas Yisroel of Bayswater, 1360 Norton Drive, Far Rockaway, NY, 11691.

Elsewhere in the Far Rockaway and Five Towns area, tap water in the Woodmere area was thought to have had contamination issues last night. As of 10:45 this morning, Village of Lawrence representatives said that the water in the Five Towns is not contaminated and is potable.

RCSP was out in the Far Rockaway/Bayswater last night, and along with the police department will remain on the streets for the duration of this crisis.

Almost all homes are still without power, and while LIPA trucks are out on the street, it may be anywhere from 3 to 7 days until power is restored.

In Bayswater, Jerry Bloom Caterers and the Jewish Community Center of the Rockaway Peninsula began distributing food at 11 a.m. at the Young Israel on Healy Avenue.

Rabbi Wolowik at the Chabad of the Five Towns related that Nachi Light of QCumbers in Cedarhurst generously offered to provide delicious fresh meals at Chabad to those who do not have power or cooking facilities. This food will be served at Chabad of the Five Towns, located at 74 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, today until 6 p.m.

Brach’s Supermarket in Lawrence is now open.

The Achiezer hotline has fielded over 900 calls since Sunday morning, and the hotline remains up and running at 516.791.4444.

{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}


13 COMMENTS

  1. Achiezer is doing incredible work. I called to try help a relative did housing and they said they are working on this as well. Tremendous Yasher Koach to Rav Baruch Ber Bender and the entire staff.

    To make a donation, visit their website at http://www.achiezer.org

  2. I spent many shabbosos and yomim Tovim in this Shul. They are incredible baley Chessed and baley middos. I will never forget the tears streaming down the Ravs face on Simchas Torah when they sang vtaher libeinu. Please help them in any way you can.

  3. a lot of people (especially r fishel hirth )invested a lot of koichas into this chashuva mikdash miat – i live 800 miles away and plan bli neder to be mishtatef

  4. The sifray torah were removed before the storm. Not everything else could be removed. The building was supposed to be taller, but they had an issue while they were building (and run short on finances) so they had to use the original basement room as the shul. The shul building is physically low, which leads to these issues. It comes down to money, and this is a shul with a heart of gold, but not quite rolling in funding.

  5. To those critacizing the shul for not learning their lesson instead of blaming maybe give a call to offer advice. also from what i understand the shul coundnt get flood insurence because of its location. everyone please help our chashuva shul!

Leave a Reply to Helping Achiezer Cancel reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here