Florida Shliach Heads to Haiti

By Dvora Lakein, lubavitch.com

Two airplanes in Parkland, Florida, were being filled this past few days with provisions for children in a Haitian orphanage by Chabad friends.

Jerry Lowenstein, who is in the construction business and a member of Chabad of Parkland, has been sponsoring these children for years, visiting monthly with supplies.

After visiting the earthquake-shattered capital of Port-au-Prince on Friday, he realized that he could not gather enough goods to meet the children’s current needs. So he turned to his Rabbi Shuey Biston.

Biston, who oversees Chabad activities in North Broward and South Palm Beach, sent an email to his community.

Within 36 hours, thousands of dollars were raised for Haitian children. Medical supplies, diapers, bandages, food, and first aid kits piled up at the Chabad center.

“People want to feel that their hard-earned money will see immediate results,” Biston says. “They know that at 11:20 on Tuesday morning starving children will get to eat.”

Though the rabbi had planned to accompany the mission, only one of the planes received clearance to fly on Wednesday.

To make room for an extra 200 pounds of food on board, Biston opted to remain in Florida.

He and his assistant Eli Raksin are scheduled to travel to Haiti next Tuesday with additional supplies, as Lowenstein has arranged for weekly landing rights for the foreseeable future.

There is one bright spot on the desolate Haitian horizon.

Lowenstein, who has been trying to adopt and bring a young orphan to Florida for the past 6 years, has finally been granted permission to proceed by the Haitian government.

The 7-year old girl will accompany Lowenstein home tomorrow where Biston says she will be “embraced as one of our own.” An additional 13 children will arrive on next week’s flight, adopted by friends of Lowenstein.

For Biston and the members of his South Florida community, helping out is intuitive.

“As human beings we cannot ignore the cries of other humans. And as Jews, we have suffered enough over the years. We know when it is time to respond.”