Jews Relatively Unscathed by Floods in Connecticut

Homes, business enterprises and institutions of Connecticut Jews escaped relatively unscathed from one of the worst rainstorms and flooding in the state’s history last weekend, according to a telephone survey today by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency of conditions in Jewish communities in the hardest hit areas.

Inquiries were directed to Jewish Federation executives in New London, a community of 3,500 Jews; New Haven, which has some 20,000 Jews; Hartford, which has some 23,500 Jews; and Bridgeport, home of some 18,000 Jews.

The Jewish areas hardest hit by the drenching rains and resultant flooding were those served by the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, headquartered in New London; and that of the Jewish Federation of New Haven.

Eugene Erlander, executive director of the Federation in New London, said Jewish homes and Jewish-owned businesses had been damaged by flooding. He said Jews in East Lyme were completely isolated for a time when a connecting bridge was washed out by the storm. Erlander told the JTA that the Federation was trying to provide help through its Jewish Family Service to individual Jewish families on request, and to provide information to Jewish business owners on effective approaches to the Small Business Administration for help.

SOME HOMES FLOODED

Erlander said a number of Jewish homes had been flooded and considerable damage done to property stored in the basement of a Jewish-owned furniture store in Groton. He said there had been no injuries to Jews — a report applicable to Jews generally in the flood-hit areas — and no evacuations of Jewish homes in the area served by the New London-based Federation.

Arthur Spiegel, executive director of the New Haven Federation, reported that many Jewish homes in the New Haven area had been flooded and that a yeshiva had suffered flood damage estimated at $100,000. He said the New Haven Federation was applying for federal assistance, but that such aid must wait until state officials can certify a statewide damage estimate which may take several days.

Spiegel said that the New Haven Westville suburb, home of a substantial number of Jews, had been severely affected, with many Jewish homes flooded and cars washed away in the torrential rainstorm.

CLEANUP PROCEEDING BRISKLY

But both Erlander and Spiegel also reported that cleanup efforts were proceeding briskly. No Jews had to be evacuated from flooded homes, the Federation executive directors told the JTA.

Don Cooper, executive director of the Greater Hartford Jewish Federation, said Jews in the area had not been particularly affected. He said the Federation had not received any distress calls from area Jewish families and that, while basements of some Jewish homes had been flooded, evacuations had not been necessary. However, he said, a large brass fabricating factory in Waterbury, owned by a Hartford Jewish family, had been severely flood-damaged.

The United Jewish Council of Greater Bridgeport reported that the area and its Jewish residents had generally escaped flood damage.