After earthquake rocks Colombia, Cali’s Jews look to quickly rebuild
Zev Stub is the Times of Israel's Diaspora Affairs correspondent.When a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia Monday morning, members of Cali’s Sephardic Jewish community were in the middle of morning prayers.“About 15 men were praying shaharit, the morning prayer service, at the time,” Ary Harf, president of the Hebraika synagogue, told The Times of Israel. “When the earthquake started, it was very scary, and they had to go outside to a little garden to finish services. The synagogue building sustained some damage during the tremor, so we’ve been praying outside since then.”For Cali’s small Jewish community, rebuilding the synagogue is now a top priority — even as the community has been shrinking for decades. No deaths have been reported among Cali’s roughly 400 Jews, but about 10 families have had to leave their homes because of earthquake damage, Harf said.Cali, a city of some 2.2 million people in southwestern Colombia with…
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, severely impacting Cali and its Sephardic Jewish community. The Hebraika synagogue sustained damage, forcing services outdoors, and approximately 10 Jewish families were displaced. Ary Harf, president of the Hebraika synagogue, stated, "The synagogue building sustained some damage during the tremor, so we’ve been praying outside since then." The community, numbering around 400, is prioritizing synagogue rebuilding and supporting affected families with food, water, and clothing. Rebuilding efforts for the synagogue, which also houses the community's main kosher kitchen, began promptly, with hopes of reopening in a few weeks. International Jewish aid groups like Cadena, IsraAID, and ZAKA are providing assistance. The earthquake occurred shortly after Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, took office, signaling a shift towards stronger relations with Israel.
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