Lubavitch Establishes Hurricane Relief Fund

Lubavitch World Headquarters announced that it has established a disaster relief fund to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The Jewish Hurricane Relief Fund will accept contributions “earmarked for relief aid for victims of Katrina and to the rebuilding of the Jewish community facilities destroyed by the hurricane,” said Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of the agencies in charge of the Chabad-Lubavitch representatives worldwide.

As Chabad representatives of all the affected states coordinate with Chabad Houses in cities where evacuees are temporarily being housed, helping them find food and lodging, they anticipate a severe crisis in the aftermath of the hurricane.

“We are going to see tremendous dislocation. We’ll have to put something in place to provide housing, furniture and clothing for so many who will face the loss of their homes and businesses and all their belongings,” Rabbi Zelig Rivkin, Chabad representative to Louisiana (headquartered in New Orleans) told lubavitch.com. Rabbi Rivkin was reached by phone at the Chabad House in Houston, Texas, to where he and his family were evacuated after remaining in New Orleans to help community members until the 11th hour.

Rabbi Krinsky expressed gratitude to all those who have called with offers of assistance. “We are grateful for all the calls of concern and support, and we appeal to everyone in the larger Jewish community to contribute to the Jewish Hurricane Relief Fund to alleviate in some measure, the awful devastation.”

Tax-exempt donations can be made online Jewish Hurricane Relief Fund or by mail, payable to: Jewish Hurricane Relief Fund, 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY ll2l3