Who knew….Nechama Jewish Disaster Relief Agency
by Deborah Miles
Within days of Hurricane Helene, multiple disaster relief agencies were on the ground to
rescue and rebuild our mountain home including Nechama Jewish Response to
Disaster, Nechama, Hebrew for Comfort, was started in the 1990’s by two Jewish
organizers who went to a Minnesota disaster caused by flooding to work with a
Christian organization where they were asked to sign a Christian affirmation of faith.
Instead, they started their own relief agency which is open to all volunteers – Jewish and
otherwise, providing support for the victims of disasters – Jewish and otherwise.
Fast forward some 3 decades and Nechama was here just days after Helene swept
through. With a small, dedicated staff, they rely on volunteers that are here from all
over the country to restore the people and places of WNC. The work includes such
nonskilled labor as trash pickup, removing tree debris, mucking out basements,
removing moldy drywall, etc. – all within a one hour drive of Asheville.
I first learned of Nechama in November when I saw their listing on the United Way’s
volunteer listings – never heard of them before. My first foray into the work with
Nechama was at the Medicine Wheel Retreat Center in Fairview. Along with my
husband, Marc Rudow, and fellow congregant Bob Deutsch, we arrived to a scene of
devastation with a 4 acre field strewn with RV’s, cars, metal sheeting, along with the
smaller remains of kitchen cabinets, closets, and sheds from homes far upstream –
along with deep coverings of sand. But after a day of methodically moving items to the
pile we could see the great progress that was made – along with other staff and
volunteers for Nechama. It also turned out that the director of Medicine Wheel is a
friend which gave us the opportunity to reconnect – and be comforted by Nechama’s
work.
Another time, the same three traveled to Marion where we removed the moldy
sheetrock from a trailer that was home to 9 family members aged 3 months to 30. This
time we were joined by a grandfather and grandson on spring break from New York. –
who have a history of doing projects for tikkun olam
If you are interested in volunteering, email Robyn Wasserman
at robyn@nechama.org to be put on a list where you will receive emails on what days
volunteers are needed for Sunday – Friday (they don’t work on Shabbat). Can’t
volunteer, but want to help?
Talk Nechama up among your friends and family – maybe someone wants to
organize a family Tzedakah project or knows a youth group in search of a
project. Nechama now has a bunkhouse for groups that are traveling from afar.
Checkout Nechama’s social media postings and share it on your platforms.
Consider a donation to Nechama at this website.
Thank you Nechama for bringing us comfort in our time of great need.