Superstorm Sandy

The House passed legislation Wednesday that would permit the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide taxpayer-funded disaster aid to synagogues, churches and other houses of worship. The bill now goes to the Senate, which observers said would feel pressured to at least consider it in light of the federal aid pouring into the tri-state area following Superstorm Sandy.

“Well, it looks like the voluntary evacuations just became mandatory,” I said to the room of Adult Ed students. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to show a film, but it seemed that the lack of success was meant to be – it enabled us to get a head start on the preparations for the approaching hurricane. As a congregation on the South Shore of Long Island, we were quite concerned about the storm. Many of our congregants lived within the evacuated area south of Merrick Road, and the dire warnings had us all frightened.