Flood-hit homes abandoned as shul opens doors to the worst affected
Justin Cohen is the News Editor at the Jewish News
Dozens of community members have been evacuated from their homes in areas worst hit by the floods, as rising water levels provoked fears among synagogues near the Thames and forced David Cameron to cancel his visit to Israel, writes Justin Cohen.
More than 1,000 homes have been evacuated along the Thames while 16 severe weather warnings remained in place for Berkshire, Surrey and Somerset at the time of going to press.
The prime minister warned on Tuesday the situation could get worse before it gets better, as he cancelled next week’s two-day visit to Israel in order to head the Government’s response to the floods, telling the country that nothing was more important than dealing with the crisis.
As Maidenhead Synagogue opened its doors to members needing temporary accommodation after being evacuated from their homes, Rabbi Jonathan Romain described a scene not far from the shul where in parts “you can’t see where the river was. On previous occasions the flood relief scheme has prevented flooding in this area but now it’s been overwhelmed by vast torrents of water.”
“You can’t describe what it’s like to see acres and acres under water”.
The head of the Environment Agency last night warned that water in areas including Maidenhead could rise even higher than current levels over the weekend. Romain said: “We don’t know if the synagogue itself will be in danger but we are prepared and expect we’ll have a few hours to take action if the river bursts its banks. We will immediately take items upstairs, including the Sefer Torah.”
Romain spent yesterday assisting some of the members who have been forced out of their homes and messages were speedily sent to congregants offering help with moving furniture or bringing food supplies.
Some members of Staines and District Synagogue have also had to leave their homes.
Chairman Hilary Stone said: “We’re considering whether to hold services this weekend as a number of congregants who live by the river are struggling. “We are most concerned about water coming up from the underground streams in the Staines areas, which could cause the drains to overflow and bring sewage up to the surface. Chertsey Lane, which is close to the shul, is particularly vulnerable to the waters.”
She added: “I have been phoning members of the community in vulnerable situations to see how they’re coping. One gentleman didn’t want to leave his house but the EA is advising those in the worst hit roads to pack a bag and evacuate. With further rain expected we are worried about the coming days, especially the congregants congregants in the coming days.”
The ongoing crisis was also being monitored closely at Cheltenham Hebrew Congregation, but the community’s two-star listed building remained unaffected last night.
The shul’s Jenny Silverstone said the situation was so far not as bad as in 2007, when Synagogue Lane flooded and defences close the shul subsequently deepened.
In Exeter, shul members helped clear out a community hall that was flooded and the debris in the street in the village of Topsham in Devon.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
