Within hours of last month’s earthquake here, the entire Jewish community was mobilized. Volunteers helped rescue teams get people out of buildings, and community centers turned over their facilities for disaster relief. Thirty-seven communal institutions served as shelters and food assistance centers.
This was revealed here by Bernardo Weitzner, president of the Comite Central Israelita de Mexico, the representative body of Mexican Jewry and a World Jewish Congress affiliate, at a meeting of its delegation with President Miguel de la Madrid. He conveyed to the delegation the “gratitude of the entire nation” for the assistance rendered by the Jewish community during the earthquake crisis, the WJCongress reported here.
At the meeting, earlier this month, Weitzner presented a check for $1.5 million on behalf of the community toward relief efforts. He said the check was the first installment toward a total contribution of $4 million.
By and large, the Jewish community emerged unscathed from the disaster. The famed Olympic-class Jewish sports complex, the Hebraica, was undamaged. There was only minor damage to the Comite headquarters which, following repairs, will be fully serviceable in two months.
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