Midland temple 
deals with 
aftermath; Flint 
Jewish community 
offers help.

MAYA GOLDMAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jews in the D

H

istoric flooding has 
devastated several 
cities in mid-
Michigan after two dams in 
Midland County broke. 
The flooding displaced 
about 10,000 people from 
their homes. Gov. Gretchen 
Whitmer declared a state of 
emergency May 20, urging 
people to evacuate from the 
affected areas. 
The eastern Michigan 
Jewish community has 
jumped in to offer assistance 
to those who’
ve been affected 
by the floods. Steven Low, 
president of the Flint 
Jewish Federation, said 
his organization has had a 
connection to the tri-cities’
 
Jewish community for years. 
When Low heard about 
the floods, he immediately 
began to contact people he 
knew in the area, including 

members and leaders of 
Midland’
s small synagogue, 
Temple Beth El. 
“We’
re waiting to hear 
from community members 
and leaders about what they 
need from us,” he said. “All 
of the Jewish institutions 
here are standing by to assist 
as we can.” 
Low said it’
s still too early 
to know exactly what the 
needs of the Midland-area 
Jewish community will 
be, but the Flint Jewish 
Federation may be able to 
provide temporary housing, 
food or financial assistance 
and grants. They also have 
a bus and van that they 
could send to help transport 
displaced residents. 
“It’
s a little trickier to offer 
volunteers, given the COVID 
crisis, but to any extent that 
we can do that and maintain 

14 | JUNE 4 • 2020 

Mid-Michigan 
Floods

“On the front 
lawn of many 
homes, you see 
washers, driers, 
carpeting, beds, 
mattresses, 
couches, you 
name it ... it 
was literally 
heartbreaking.”

— RABBI YISROEL
WEINGARTEN

AP PHOTO/CARLOS OSORIO

