CBI's Hurricane Recovery
After the Hurricane: An Update
Congregation B’nai Israel had just completed a renovation of our beautiful synagogue when Hurricane Milton arrived. Nearly two feet of rain fell on our community in less than 24 hours. Flooding surged along 58th Street and several inches of water poured into the synagogue. The chapel, sanctuary, kitchen and the pre-school area were all affected.
"....and the floodgates of the heavens were opened."
- GENESIS 7
Where Are We Now?
- Brand new carpeting was ruined and had to be replaced.
- Damaged drywall was replaced and re-painted.
- Leaks in the roof and around some windows had to be repaired.
- Ceiling tiles must be replaced.
- Office furniture bought.
- Front doors and landscaping will need to be replaced.
The Good News
- No Torah scrolls were damaged.
- Some all-wood and all-metal furniture can be sanitized and restored. No hurricane-related mold has been found.
- CBI has continued to function, with help from Temple Beth-El, The James Museum and Congregation Beth Shalom.
The Recovery
- Volunteers — both CBI members and their friends — have helped pack up books, gift shop items and office materials, and cleared the grounds of debris.
- A remediation company was hired to dry out the building and has begun repairs.
- The pre-school area is already up and running.
- The state has approved resumption of classes. The staff had been able to continue working in space provided by Dr. Marc Reiskind.
- Our property insurance will cover only a small portion of the loss.
We Need Your Help
After insurance, the cost of the repairs could approach $1 million. This is not an easy ask. Most of us were affected in some way by the hurricanes. Staff and volunteers are seeking 
every possible source of funding to pay for the repairs—from a possible SBA loan to grants to donations from organizations and civic-minded people outside the CBI community. We’re committed to getting our synagogue back to normal operations as soon as possible, possibly by early December. Please use the form below—to send what you can. It’s important that the Jewish community—with so many recent challenges—shows its strength and resolve in the new year. Thank you.
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