In response to the catastrophic wildfires that have swept through the island of Maui, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore recently launched an emergency fund to aid in the relief efforts in Hawaii.
The wildfires have all but destroyed the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui, which Hawaii’s Jewish governor, Josh Green, toured on Aug. 10 with Brian Schatz, the state’s Jewish senator. “What we saw today was likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history,” Green said in a statement.
At least 111 people have died in the fires, 1,000 people are still missing and Maui’s hospitals are overrun with patients requiring medical care. In addition, countless homes and buildings have been destroyed, and thousands of people have been displaced. Nearly 11,000 Maui residents are still without power, and communications have been wiped out.
The Lahaina fire is considered the deadliest in more than a century, according to the U.S. Fire Administration agency
“We’re looking for supplies for all residents of Maui, not just Jewish ones, because of the Jewish value of helping all during time of emergency,” Rabbi Raanan Mallek, who leads the Jewish Congregation of Maui, told the news publication eJewishPhilanthropy on Aug. 10 from Maui.
The Associated is working closely on relief efforts with such national partners as Chabad of Maui and the Jewish Community Services of Hawaii. (There are an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 Jewish residents living on Maui.)
One hundred percent of donations to The Associated’s Maui Wildfire Emergency Relief Fund go toward relief and recovery efforts. Funds will support food, shelter, medical supplies and basic needs for those impacted by the devastating wildfires in Maui.
The Jewish Federations of North America launched a Hawaii Wildfire Fund on Aug. 10 to support affected communities in Maui by providing resources for response and recovery, such as “toiletries, first-aid kits, non-perishable foods, baby supplies and more.” The fund will also help people fleeing to Honolulu where Jewish communal organizations will support those in need.
In addition, the Israel-based disaster relief organization SmartAid has dispatched a team to Maui to “provide immediate assistance to affected communities and first responders.” The group said it will be distributing aid, providing solar-power generators to emergency shelters to ensure electricity supply and deploying mobile communication hotspots.
For information about The Associated’s Maui Wildfire Emergency Relief Fund, visit payments.associated.org/maui-fires
A Baltimore native, Sweren was a collector of artists' books whose own works were displayed in national galleries.
The BCO, founded in 1984, will perform the works of Frank Zappa, Beethoven, Mason Bates and Karena Ingram.
For more than 130 years, Sol Levinson & Bros. has been woven into the fabric of Baltimore’s Jewish community.
Led by local Israel-American cellist Amit Peled, the Mount Vernon Virtuosi aims to inspire people beyond musical enjoyment.