A Fort Wayne Jewish Federation executive reported today that the city’s Jewish community of 1,350 largely escaped major damage from the flooding last week that caused an estimated $20 million in damage here.
Eli Skora, Federation executive director, said the 9,000 Fort Wayne residents who were evacuated at the peak of the flood last week and who were given on “all-clear” signal by Mayor Winfield Moses, Jr. to return to their homes, included no more than five Jewish families.
Skara said there was some flooding of Jewish homes and businesses but that it was largely confined to water pouring into basements. He told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that like the rest of Fort Wayne residents and businessmen, “we are now in the clean-up stage.”
He said the Federation is the Jewish representative on a non-profit agency formed by the city government last weekend to accept contributions for flood victims and to coordinate distribution of relief supplies and food. Skora said the city has hired a disaster relief consultant and that the committee will function out of the consultant’s office.
Skora also reported that the Federation board plans to meet Thursday to discuss what the Federations should do to help the clean-up program. He said the board plans to consider financial help, food and clothing needs and organization of volunteer help.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
