Jewish camps in America spent Shabbos in the dark
Shabbos Nachamu was spent by thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews living in the camp areas of New York and Canada in the dark • Reason: wind and rain storm that hit the electricity infrastructure in the region • Description from abroad
- Yoel Bitelman, B'Chadrei Charedim
- ט"ו אב התשע"ג
Shabbos Nachamu of this year will not be forgotten from the memories of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews staying in the resort and camps of New York and Canada who had to spend Shabbos, considered the hottest day of the year, with no electricity, no air conditioning and no water.
Heavy heat prevails in New York and Canada since the beginning of last week. Peak heat was on Friday and Shabbos when temperatures in Borough Park in Brooklyn climbed to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. In many places the heat was accompanied by high winds and showers and thunderstorms. The stormy weather as well as the increased use of electricity, created on Friday, long power outages in various areas throughout New York and beyond. Instant power failure affected thousands of families staying in the country, camps and bungalows. Many residents in South Fallsburg and Woodburn in the Catskills had to spend some of Shabbos without electricity without air conditioning all this while extremely hot outside.
In Montreal, Canada, the heavy heat was accompanied by thunderstorms and heavy rains that caused old trees to fall and the collapse of the power system in the haredi camp areas, including Camp "Baruch Moshe" of Satmar and Belze's Camp located a twenty minutes drive away.
Senior Counselor at Camp Baruch Moshe in Montreal said that on Friday at 2 pm a wind and rain storm began, trees collapsed everywhere as well as to the entrance to the Camp bungalow. The tree which collapsed at the bungalow entrance was an old tree and ripped the main power cable. The fallen tree also blocked the road.
The result was that the Camp was left without electricity and without water. The water stream to the Camp and all bungalows come in electric pump that draws the water from the river nearby. We became a little nervous and started to make phone calls. Many families went to other bungalows which had electricity; the problem was that you cannot travel far because the roads were closed to traffic and created heavy traffic jams everywhere.
Meanwhile, we began preparation for a special Shabbos without electricity and without running water. We soon discovered that one bungalow has electricity and water, as the building gets its power from another company. On Friday night we held prayers in the bungalow with electricity and ate by candlelight, it was the most uplifting atmosphere. For Seuda Shlishis one of the goyim who work for us at the Camp came and lit some candles and brought water, said a Belze senior instructor at the Camp which is a twenty minute drive away, and that electricity was cut off there too. As of today - Sunday electricity has still not been restored and as to when City Power will be returned, says the guide, we hope that power will be restored as quickly as possible, we know that the problem is complicated because several agencies are involved in the matter.
Parks Authority should first come and treat the old tree which fell, and only then can the local electric company come to handle the cable which snapped, says the guide.
Heavy heat prevails in New York and Canada since the beginning of last week. Peak heat was on Friday and Shabbos when temperatures in Borough Park in Brooklyn climbed to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. In many places the heat was accompanied by high winds and showers and thunderstorms. The stormy weather as well as the increased use of electricity, created on Friday, long power outages in various areas throughout New York and beyond. Instant power failure affected thousands of families staying in the country, camps and bungalows. Many residents in South Fallsburg and Woodburn in the Catskills had to spend some of Shabbos without electricity without air conditioning all this while extremely hot outside.
In Montreal, Canada, the heavy heat was accompanied by thunderstorms and heavy rains that caused old trees to fall and the collapse of the power system in the haredi camp areas, including Camp "Baruch Moshe" of Satmar and Belze's Camp located a twenty minutes drive away.
Senior Counselor at Camp Baruch Moshe in Montreal said that on Friday at 2 pm a wind and rain storm began, trees collapsed everywhere as well as to the entrance to the Camp bungalow. The tree which collapsed at the bungalow entrance was an old tree and ripped the main power cable. The fallen tree also blocked the road.
The result was that the Camp was left without electricity and without water. The water stream to the Camp and all bungalows come in electric pump that draws the water from the river nearby. We became a little nervous and started to make phone calls. Many families went to other bungalows which had electricity; the problem was that you cannot travel far because the roads were closed to traffic and created heavy traffic jams everywhere.
Meanwhile, we began preparation for a special Shabbos without electricity and without running water. We soon discovered that one bungalow has electricity and water, as the building gets its power from another company. On Friday night we held prayers in the bungalow with electricity and ate by candlelight, it was the most uplifting atmosphere. For Seuda Shlishis one of the goyim who work for us at the Camp came and lit some candles and brought water, said a Belze senior instructor at the Camp which is a twenty minute drive away, and that electricity was cut off there too. As of today - Sunday electricity has still not been restored and as to when City Power will be returned, says the guide, we hope that power will be restored as quickly as possible, we know that the problem is complicated because several agencies are involved in the matter.
Parks Authority should first come and treat the old tree which fell, and only then can the local electric company come to handle the cable which snapped, says the guide.
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