Chabad-Lubavitch centers from the Caribbean to the Carolinas are urgently helping Jewish communities prepare for Hurricane Irma, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean.
At the more than 10 Caribbean Chabad centers in the region, Shluchim are reaching out to community members, especially the elderly, the infirm, the homebound and those living alone to try and ensure their safety.
“We are finishing up our last preparations for the storm and are fully stocked,” Rabbi Asher Federman, who co-directs Chabad-Lubavitch of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas with his wife, Henya, tells Chabad.org.
Posting on social media, the rabbi reached out to his community, telling residents that they can stay with him and his family for the duration of the storm, as well as hang mezuzahs on the doorposts of Jewish homes there that don’t have them.
Classified as a Category 5 Hurricane with devastating winds of up to 185 mph, Irma first barreled through Barbuda early Wednesday morning, cutting off all communications with the island before heading towards St. Martin.
Screaming winds, storm surges and heavy rain pummeled the islands, as many sought refuge in government-run shelters. Widespread damage has already been reported. The storm was expected to pass near or over Puerto Rico on Wednesday afternoon and evening.
VIDEO:
Hurricane #Irma has made its first landfall in the Caribbean
Hurricane #Irma has made its first landfall in the Caribbean. It's the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever pic.twitter.com/j2M3u7d9Fu
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 6, 2017
St. Martin in the eye of the storm
[IRMA] Saint Martin dans le mur de l'oeil subit les effets de l'ouragan IRMA #iram #ouragan #SaintMartin (Source : Rinsy Xieng) pic.twitter.com/e2j7e9KtOu
— RCI Guadeloupe (@RCI_GP) September 6, 2017
May Hashem enfold each and every person in the storm’s path with His merciful protection!