Beauty in the midst of despair

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

This month was difficult. So many experienced unforgettable traumas at the hands of Hurricane Ian, losing their homes and everything inside. But through it all, in those darkest moments, we had the privilege of witnessing the most beautiful truth of our community. Because in the most difficult times, that’s when the real person comes out.

Even before Ian made landfall, we had volunteers buddy up with vulnerable community members on whom they would check as soon as it was safe. We gathered locations of community members and their friends and family. At dawn, immediately after the hurricane passed, we had a volunteer rescue team ready to go door to door in the most dangerous areas to bring people to safety, often carrying the elderly through waisthigh floodwater.

My phone, despite the very spotty connection, was overwhelmed with messages from community members who simply wanted to help in any way possible. People opened their homes to strangers, woke up at 4 a.m. to assist in an emergency rescue, and came together to deliver thousands of meals and water to anyone in need.

Sixteen-year-old David Ellis put it so beautifully. He had just climbed 18 flights of stairs with his mother, Paula, to deliver meals to an elderly couple who was running out of food. “Mom, we always question what is happiness,” David said. “I feel happy right now. For me, this is happiness. Being able to help them — and I can’t wait to help more people.”

Our Chabad campus turned into a hurricane relief center. We had truckloads of donated aid, including grills, propane and generators, alongside all the basic home needs. We hosted a large barbecue dinner with an open invite to all residents, as well as a classic kosher dinner and a pizza night. Together, we delivered hundreds of Shabbat meals.

Teams of volunteers from our community went door to door to help people clean up the flooding, remove mold and repair their homes. We had 70 volunteers clearing up trees and debris, making our town’s streets and sidewalks clean and beautiful once again.

Most of all, our community came together and, in the gatherings, we could overhear old friends and neighbors, shulgoers and people who had never met, turn to each other with words of encouragement, empathy and sincere care. In the most difficult times, they chose to lift each other up with love and sincerity.

So, while this month brought a nightmare, it also brought out angels in human form, and we will forever be grateful for bearing witness to such a beautiful thing.

Adult education

What’s Your Biggest Question on G-d? A new, fascinating six-week course called Defining the Divine “My G-d” is starting Nov. 7.

Nothing is off-limits as this refreshingly open course asks piercing questions about G-d and delivers profound, insightful answers. An enlightening study into G-d’s nature, G-d’s goal for creation, human experiences of G-d, the role of religion, and the function of miracles and prayer, this course promises to satisfy your questions, including those you didn’t know you had.

For more information and to register, call 239-262-4474 or email office@ chabadnaples.com.

Trip to the Holy Land

We invite you to join us on a Chabad Naples community trip to the Holy Land this spring, March 13-20, 2023, VIP style! Interested in hearing more? Please email office@chabadnaples.com or call me at 239-404-6993.

We look forward to traveling with you.