Jun 24, 2021

A Message from Jacob Solomon, President & CEO of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation on the Surfside Building Collapse Catastrophe

Jacob Solomon

Yesterday, I spent the better part of the day at the Family Reunification Center in the Community Center in Surfside, where scores of people gathered to await news about the fate of loved ones still missing after the horrific collapse of Champlain Towers South in the early hours of June 24. Agonizing scenes I witnessed there will stay with me forever. The Community Center was filled with displaced people, family members, volunteers offering food and water, members of the clergy, elected officials and members of the media.

Rabbis from our Mishkan Miami program were there, as well as rabbis from our local synagogues, along with newly appointed Israeli Consul General to Miami Maor Elbaz-Starinsky. While there, I had the opportunity to speak by telephone with Israel’s new Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and with the new Minister of Diaspora Affairs Nachman Shai. Both asked me specifically to extend the support, love and solidarity of the people of Israel with our Miami Jewish community.

As you can read in the attached Federation statement, we have been working closely with our primary human service agency Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS), clergy, elected officials and law enforcement to assess needs and to develop a plan to help the victims of this evolving human tragedy. We anticipate significant demand for financial assistance, trauma counseling, spiritual care, housing assistance and support for funerals and burials in the days and weeks to come. If you would like to participate, please click here to make a donation.

Many of you are aware that our dear colleague, Women’s Philanthropy Director Ofi Osin-Cohen, lived with her husband Barry in this building. I had the great relief of speaking with Ofi following her harrowing escape from her apartment. She gave a powerful and moving interview on the Today show. Take a few minutes to watch it here.

I have spoken with many members of the community with close relatives and friends among the missing. Please know the entire community extends our heartfelt wishes and prayers for positive news to you all. May we share better days.