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PHOTOS: Detroit’s Frum Community In Hot Water…


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[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Twelve inches of water may not seem like much, but it was enough to spell disaster for the Detroit community.

On Monday, August 11th 2014, the metropolitan Detroit area broke a 90 year record with over 6 inches of rain water accumulating in a few short hours. The drainage system was entirely inadequate to handle the volume, and within a short amount of time, highways flooded and sewer systems became backed up. The resultant overflow caused thousands of basements – including those of over 400 Frum families – to become flooded with sewer water, some as high as seven feet.

The collective financial loss is staggering. Detroit homes are small, and most families count on their basements as critical living space.

Now, the high risk of sewer contamination has forced hundreds of families to completely demolish an important part of their home. Walls had to be cut a foot above the water line and tossed; sopping wet carpet needed to be removed. Families have been left with only the above ground levels of their homes intact, and many homes still have yet to be properly cleaned out.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of destroyed possessions – beds, furniture, toys, books, and more – are piled by the curbs, awaiting pickup by the sanitation department. Ruined appliances such as hot water heaters, washing machines, and dryers dot the sidewalks.

After completing the exhausting clean up process, many families will find that they cannot afford to rebuild their basements and replace lost items. Numerous families did not have any insurance coverage for sewage back up; and those that did cannot expect to recoup anything close to the amount that was lost.

Fortunately, there is a vehicle of aid already in place. In a classic example of ‘Refuah Kodem L’Makkah’, the Detroit Chessed Project was spearheaded in the beginning of 2014, to provide the community with financial assistance programs such as Tomchei Shabbos and a clothing/housewares Gemach. In the aftermath of the flood, the Detroit Chessed Project stepped right into the breach, working feverishly to bring aid to the community in any way possible.

The first – and most important – element of the rescue project has been to call in all available resources, both local and national. Agudath Israel of America, Agudath Israel of Midwest Region, and Achiezer based out of the Far Rockaway/Five Towns area are working hand in hand with the Detroit Chessed Project; the Jewish Federation of Detroit has been a source of aid as well. Local companies and agencies are also being solicited, in an effort to alleviate the high cost of replacing the lost appliances, furniture, and clothing. Serta, the renowned mattress company, generously donated a large amount of mattresses and box springs; the Chasdei Lev Organization has assisted with bulk discounts as well, and other similar initiatives are being pursued at this time.

The Detroit Chessed Project is now focusing on securing items like hot water tanks, appliances, furniture, clothing, Sefarim, and toys. Bowed but not broken, the community is pulling together in every possible way, with the goal of helping hundreds of families rebuild.

For more information and to find out how you can help, visit www.detroitchessed.org or call (248) 221-1894.

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10 Responses

  1. As a former Detroiter I can attest to this article and the tremendous needs the community now has. Good work Detroit Chesed for stepping up. Im making my way over to your site to make my donation.

  2. Your headline suggest that the frum community was affected (i.e. the drains worked fine elsewhere). That it is not the case. Detroit’s infrastructure issues are complex, but they are not related to anti-semitism.

  3. They need more then our hearts. They need our money. Some people have no insurance coverage, and some have only $5,000 worth. When you are talking about replacing heaters, air conditioning systems, hot water heaters, seforim, couches, beds, all their pesach dishes/pots/appliances, carpets, walls, mold remediation, it is a drop in the bucket. This is the unheard of disaster that has effected this community for almost 3 weeks. They need money. we did it after Sandy, we can do it now. This is a community that cannot afford this, and the ripple effect will be that the schools and the shuls will not get paid.

  4. If Achiezer and Agudah are involved it is incumbent upon whoever has the ability to donate that you do so. These are our brothers and 2 reputable organizations are behind the efforts. Rabbossai- DONATE!!

  5. #3: Always looking for the dark side, eh, Apikruma?

    Nowhere in the article does it say or imply that the frum community was the only community affected.

    Nowhere in the article does the word “anti-Semitism” appear.

  6. That looks horrible!

    Even with just a few inches of water, if it’s a carpeted basement then everything needs to be emptied to replace the carpet. The effects of the basement flood I’d seen are still in the garage….

  7. Hopefully, after the experience of NOLA and NYC with Katrina and Sandy respectively, many of these families purchased coverage in the federally subsidized flood insurance program so much of their losses will be covered. For those that did not, this should be a wake up call that most regular homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover this kind of damage. For those interested in helping, you can make a quick donation via credit card at the number above.

  8. Because we do not live in a flood plain, you cannot purchase flood insurance here. Half the families have no coverage at all, and half have a maximum $5,000 or $10,000 in “sewer backup” coverage which some insurers have been paying. $5,000 is just about enough to cover the cleanup. Rebuilding a finished basement will cost at least another $10,000. Plus many people who lost washers, dryers, hot water heaters, etc. plus all the contents lost.

    Please make a donation at
    https://action.jewishdetroit.org/events/disaster-relief-donation

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