Dear Residents of Lakewood,
I hope this message finds you well. I would like to take a moment to express my deep appreciation for the dedication and tireless efforts of our local elected officials. Their work on behalf of our community is invaluable, and I am grateful for all they do to ensure Lakewood remains a safe and vibrant place to live.
The recent and ongoing fires in Los Angeles have been truly devastating. Families have lost their homes and all their belongings, schools have been destroyed, and precious Torah scrolls have been rescued under heartbreaking circumstances. These events are a powerful reminder of how quickly life can change and how important it is to be prepared.
While I don’t want to sound alarmist, I do think it is worth reflecting on what lessons we might learn from this tragedy. Reports suggest that some challenges in Los Angeles, such as issues with water supply and other logistical hurdles, may have exacerbated the situation. These challenges prompt thoughtful questions about how well-prepared we are here in Lakewood for emergencies of this nature.
Considerations for Our Community
- Community Preparedness:
- Do we have a plan in place for fire emergencies?
- Is there sufficient water infrastructure and other resources to address potential challenges?
2. Individual Responsibility:
- Take some time to review your homeowner’s insurance policies. Do you have adequate fire coverage?
- If possible, itemize your possessions to ensure you are prepared in the unlikely event of a loss.
- Think about whether you and your family have an emergency plan. Even small steps can make a difference.
3. Engaging with Local Officials:
- Consider reaching out to local representatives to better understand the community’s emergency response plans.
- Open dialogue and transparency can help us all feel more confident and prepared.
A Thoughtful Reminder
By taking a little time to reflect and prepare, we can learn from the experiences of others and ensure we are better equipped as individuals and as a community. Of course, while we take these steps, we ultimately place our trust in Hashem, who guides and protects us.
May Lakewood always be a place of safety and strength, and may we use opportunities like these to grow and improve thoughtfully and collaboratively.
With warm regards,
Shaya Bassman
Lakewood, NJ
Thank you for a beautiful letter.
Really wise advice-Thank you
Thank you Shaya you said it very elequently. May we all learn to appreciate all that we have and be thankful to the Almighty constantly
Best wishes!
As a member of the frum community of Los Angeles, I’d like to thank Mr. Bassman for his concern and his important points. At the same time I’d like to clarify a few things. A lot of what is reported in the media, including the Jewish media is sensationalized and possibly inaccurate. I’m am not minimizing the danger we were in as a community not the fear it produced as well as the loss of homes and worldly possessions so many experienced. This has been the worst fire season we have experience for at least as long as the 40 yrs I lived in Los Angeles. I am also not minimizing the tremendous assistance that Chabad, Hatzala and many others have offered the greater Jewish Community and it’s neighbors. But let me clarify that:
A) At no time was the frum, Torah community affected by the fire. None of our schools burned and no one within the four main Torah communities lost their homes. We will definitely do our part in assisting those who did lose their homes but as my son in laws esteemed father told him, after Hatzala knocked on their door Friday night to warn of possible evacuations, “we are part of a strong Torah community that keeps shabbat, the wildfires will not affect us”.
B) The frum community of Los Angeles is very small and it’s vote hardly counts. Even though many community organizations try regularly to engage with public officials and while many public officials do try to understand our needs, our ability to make a dent politically is very minimal. Lakewood and many other New Jersey communities, however, have a lot of clout and your vote here counts significantly. You can ensure that your needs are met at least as much as everyone else around you.
C) Most people in Los Angeles do have fire insurance but thanks to the “wonderful” politicians in Sacramento, many insurance companies left California and many others cancelled the fire insurance they did offer. Those whose property was damaged will now have to rely on federal tax dollars in the form of FEMA in order to rebuild.
Wildfires are a yearly menace in California thanks to the “environmentalists” who put “brush” before humans. The ability to fight these fires diminishes as politicians take money from fire departments and spend it on the homeless who are largely responsible for setting many of these fires on a yearly basis. But for the frum Jewish who live within the city and populated valley areas close to our shuls, kollelim and esteemed mosdos Torah, we are protected by the fire of Torah. Even Yeshiva of Greater Los Angeles hidden in the hills, while evacuated many times over the years because of fire and lack of electricity, was never burned BH as the fire of Torah that eminates from there burns strong.
A Los Angeles Resident
We have had in our history many a time where Torah observant communities were also punished on account of their neighbors. Keep Davening and do what you can to stay safe.
Hashem Yishmor Aleinu
What did the neighbors do, Dovid?
if you are acknowledging that those exceptions were a result of Divine punishment “on account of their neighbors”, why do you naively think that “do what you can to stay safe” will save anyone from Divine punishment???
We are really happy that the frum community is safe. And our thoughts are with everyone affected.
But it is wrong to say that Torah observant people will never be affected by tragedy. It is just not accurate, nor is it in line with Jewish thought. And it confuses people because we all see good people suffer. God’s ways are hidden and tragedies strike good people at times. This is a world of challenge and sometimes pain, and though it is all ultimately good, we don’t always see how. In the next world all will be clear!
Wishing you and all LA residents much luck in this difficult time.
Yea cause the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center that burned to the ground don’t follow your version of Judaism.
Must hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.
But the L. A. Fire’s are not normal; they are being driven by 100 mile per hour winds which is coming directly from the mouth of HaShem. True CA is being run by liberal “batlunim” to have empty fire hydrants to preserve a little fish, but would they have had the best water supply it wouldn’t have helped as a result of those unusual winds. Ask a Ruv whom spent a week in CA why this is happening.
While everyone & every community should be prepared it’s wrong to act like every place is the same.
It’s like when people say, “In Europe the Jews” when in reality the lives of Jews in Galitzia, Russia, Hungary & Germany were often very, very different.
California has many issues that simply don’t exist in Lakewood. The sustained high winds, lack of humidity, dryness of the flora, overgrowth of fuel (brush), etc.
Has Lakewood ever been at risk of burning like what’s going on in Los Angeles?
New Jersey averages around 4,000 acres burned per year. California averages around 350,000 acres burned per year. There’s really no comparison at all.
Sure we should be careful but comparing Lakewood to Los Angeles is like warning everyone in Miami Beach to buy “Blizzard Insurance” just in case.
There is a spiritual message in those fires – Material things mean nothing! We must focus on and think about Hashem at all times. We must spend our time serving Hashem and be joyful while doing it.
All your material luxuries don’t matter.
Get back to the heart of being a Jew and pray and want for Moshiach every day. You must work to improve yourself and quickly. Time is running out..