Dear TLS Readers, I write this as my parents are on their way north from Miami after they packed up their belongings and fled the monstrous hurricane heading towards them.

They, along with thousands of others, have left behind their homes hoping to return to it in one piece with an unknown return date, and only a couple weeks until Yom Yov.

For them, it was a no-brainer to leave. Life is more precious than belongings, and they left with a plan of action.

However, so many others, including those in mandatory evacuation zones, are still in their homes and hoping to ride out the storm. Some say they have nowhere to go, others have elderly parents or young children and are more afraid to be stuck in traffic on the road when the storm hits than in their storm somewhat protected homes. I fear for the lives of these people!!

I am not sure if we in Lakewood realize the extent of this situation. While we sit in our comfortable homes eating the Shabbos Seudas, and sleeping in our own beds, those that had to leave are in a state of homelessness (BH for the tremendous Chesed going on by several communities) and who knows if they will have a liveable home to go back to!

This storm is huge. It covers far beyond both coasts of Florida, stretching 100s of miles with winds that can demolish a city in mere minutes. Previous devastating hurricanes, including Andrew, were a shadow of the size of this one.

But what can we do? We are far away in Lakewood?

We have a lead above many places given our numbers of people. Imagine if all of Lakewood joined together in unity as one for the sake of these yidden!

Do you know what power unity has? The terrible people in times of Achav were successful because of their unity. The power we have to make a difference if we unify and focus on Teshuva, Tefilla and Tzedaka is beyond imaginable. We need to join as one regardless of our social differences and storm the Heavens for the safety and protection of our family and our brethren (through blood or through Avraham Avinu) that they be safe and able to return to undamaged homes quickly!

Please dedicate your tefilos and Learning, Teshuva, Tzedaka, etc as a zechus for their protection.

Please spend the next few days thinking of ways to make Shalom and right some wrongs for their Zechus.

Please help my parents, and the whole Yiddishe Kehila of SoFla be able to get home asap and make Yom Tov with everything in one piece, and please Daven that there are no casualties among those that chose or were forced to remain behind.

Respectfully,

A Miami Lakewood Resident

(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to [email protected])