Rockland County, NY – The normally bustling Congregation Knesses Yisroel in New Hempstead, a neighborhood just to the north of Monsey, was silent Monday morning as not a single person showed up for Dirshu and only three men arrived for Shachris. Like many other areas in Monsey, New Hempstead has been devastated by the freak storm that raged through the area on Shabbos, leaving residents with no electricity.
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Street after street in the area is virtually impassable as roadways are completely blocked by fallen trees. Just blocks from where two Spring Valley residents were electrocuted during Hurrican Irene, fallen power lines litter the area, some marked with yellow caution tape by Orange and Rockland, the local utility provider, while others lay innocuously in the street. Driving down just one small street, Barrie Drive, a quiet residential block inhabited almost entirely by frum residents, the evidence of the storm is everywhere: a swing set smashed to pieces, plastic sheeting covering what was once the rear windshield of a minivan until it was hit by a falling tree, a tree resting on the rooftop of a house, tree limbs everywhere and a large tree blocking one end of the roadway entirely.
While the cold temperatures have left residents shivering inside their own homes and donning layer after layer of clothing for warmth, resourceful homeowners have filled their refrigerators with pots of snow and buried perishables in snow banks in the hopes that they will stay fresh until power is restored. According to outage maps provided by Orange and Rockland, residents can expect to have their power restored by midnight Friday night while some lucky homeowners may find their electricity functional by midnight Tuesday night. Orange and Rockland is distributing dry ice tonight in Rockland County at the Rockland Boulders Ballpark from 7-9 PM.
All school districts within Rockland County were closed for the day and there are already reports of schools that will be closed tomorrow as well due to the massive power outage.
Weddings have been taking place as scheduled in the area albeit perhaps not as originally anticipated. While generators were brought in for one area wedding last night, the hoped for power restoration never occurred and there was no food available at the wedding. At another wedding tonight Misaskim brought in lighting so that the chupah could take place as planned, outdoors while hot tea was served by the kabalas ponim due to the cool temperatures inside the building. The inside of the hall was illuminated by candles and generators were brought in to provide some heating, a modicum of light and music.
What nonsense. The snow this weekend, while unusual, is not a major disaster. Most of it will be melted within 48 hours and everything will be back to normal by the end of the week. Power outages for a few days are not big deal and its not the end of the world if they had to prepare kiddushin by candelight. Stop acting like such a bunch of wimps. This was normal life in the alte heim and our parents and grandparents did not have time to go on the internet to kvetch.
Of course, the town is so busy that Maple Avenue by Highview is totally blocked off by a tree not visible or marked off with anything. I personally have not seen one O&R truck in the entire Monsey area and would love to know where they are working. I got my power back after more than 24 hours but I pity all those other people who are 48+ hours without heat and electricity. A real shame.
To #1 , you have a short memory! You are cruel! Did you forget about the dangers that downed wires cause? The temperature the day of the storm reached freezing degree. All those that lost power have no heat and that means concern of frozen pipes which can be thousands of dollars in damages. Even tens of thousands! Hopefully everyone is aware to turn on every faucet in the house to let the cold water run slightly as the moving waters keep the pipes from freezing.
That’s the worst case scenario. But what about the families with babies and toddlers that had to pack up and move elsewhere as it was too cold to sleep and practically dangerous????
And to all those that ran to buy generators but then found all the gas stations closed because the pumps run on electric so they could’nt even do that???
My children who live in the area both are using generators.
Maybe this happened because Monsey elected official voted for the New York gay marriage bill. Its a warning from Heaven for helping turn New York into Sodom.
Not to side with number one, but now that this has occurred -what do you do? Along with using the snow to keep perishables cold -you can built a fire with all those fallen trees if you have a chimmney or other well ventilated area. With a fire you can cook, & have hot water for bathing. His point about the olden times is correct -don’t just throw up your hands in despair -do what you can to help yourself. Even if you can’t make a fire indoors, you can still do it outside for cooking.
you forget that in the alte heim a lot of people, especially kids died in situations like this. we look at the alte heim with rose colored glasses but the reality is that it was a hard existence
In Teaneck, the anti-semitic fire department forced the shul to close because the sprinklers weren’t working.
To #1 - If this was just a normal snowfall, and traffic as well as commuter transporation was tied up, it would be one thing. However, because of the leaves on the trees, the added weight led to the branches snapping, causing them to fall onto the power lines, causing massive power outages. It is not pleasant to sit in one’s home freezing, and to see food spoiling. Your callous, insensitive, and reprehensible remarks, indicate that you show a lack of concern for your fellow Yidden, who are suffering as this is being read. Perhaps, you should review the Machzor, and read what was recited only a few short weeks ago on Yom Kippur, in the Al Chat prayers. In summary, you should show a little more compassion to your neighbors. Incidentally, in the old country, and even during colonial times in the USA, people suffered greatly in the winter.
No debates on my part…just what I feel is a good suggestion. Every home should have a decent supply of emergency power failure lights. This type of light remains plugged in all the time and goes on when the power goes off. They won’t stay on forever but will give as much as one to two days of light. I have them placed all over my house and they have been a valuable asset when the power has gone out. Most models also function as a night light with minimal power consumption… they use LED lights and many produce great amounts of light. This type of light also can be used as a light source in non power failure situations. Many retailers sell this type and several are sold by internet companies. If this isn’t an option for whatever reason then flashlights should always be available with an extra supply of batteries handy. Best suggestion here is to keep the batteries out of the flashlight but very close by…batteries can leak in time and ruin the entire light if left in too long.
I would also like to know where all the O & R crews are hiding. I’ve been without power since Motzei Shabbos and have not seen A SINGLE O & R truck anywhere in my area.
It’s obvious that #1 doesn’t live in Monsey and has no clue what’s going on. For the rest of us who experienced the disaster first-hand – it really is a major disaster – especially with a newborn and small kids! We personally didn’t have power for over 24 hours and my house was FRIGID. We borrowed a generator for the second night which heated our bedrooms (nothing more) but the rest of the house was an ice box! It really is extrememly hard to deal with when we all have lives and families to tend to and had to do everything in a FROZEN pitch-black house!! Hope they restore all the power really soon!!!
It is astonishing that we here in monsey are going into the 4th day without power, In a big portion of the area major streets are closed with downed trees and wires, I have not seen 1 Orange & rockland or a town of Ramapo truck to cut up the trees and get the power back on! Where are all the politician’s that in a time like this should put pressure on O&R to get this restored! Maybe there needs to be competition!
This is life threatening danger if there is an emergency the ambulance or fire trucks cant get into some streets, elderly ppl and little kids are without heat in the freezing cold nights and without phones to call if there is an emergency..
The “Town that is always busy looking out for our safety” where is safety now?!
Ironically there was a wedding scheduled for Sunday night for a one grand rabbi’s grandchild on philis terrace (i wont mention names) but interestingly enough the power came on in time for the wedding, but we all plain ppl have to still sit in the dark/cold.. I wonder who flipped that switch on??!!
To #33 - Your “analysis” represents an oversimplification of the problem, which is not that realistic. A good generator with installation runs about $7,500. In addition to the initial cost of installation, there are periodic maintenance costs throughout the year for such devices. Secondly, one can prune all of the trees in their area. However, if one or more trees are knocked down by very strong winds (onto someone’s property), the pruning is not going to help. You should be a little more empathetic and show some rachmonos, and not characterize homeowner’s legitimate grievances as “whining”.
Monsey belongs in Brooklyn.
#1 – Clearly you were not affected by the storm, otherwise you would not be saying what you’re saying.
I don’t live in Rockland County (I visited there once and I did not like it, but that’s my problem), I don’t have trees on my property here in south London, and – quite frankly – I am unlikely (c”v) to be exposed to the extremes of weather that you are experiencing in north America. We get snow here, but it’s measurable in a very few inches.
However, after reading the initial article and all the subsequent פירושים והבהרות, I have taken stock of my situation to prevent problems if we should have really bad weather here in London.
The first thing I have bought is some really good, rechargeable flashlights. As I am a pessimist, there will be one in each room in my home, ready for use. I will also, אם ירצה השם, buy a stock of long-life food and drinks and put them in my store cupboard, ready if I can’t get out. As I live in an apartment block a private generator is not practicable, but an old-fashioned paraffin heater and enough fuel for a week will be acquired and stored ready for use, should the need arise (r”l).
If *I* can do this in “backward” Britain, then קל וחומר why can’t you people, residents of the ‘goldeneh medineh’, take similar providential action?
I don’t live there, so I can’t tell you. But just wondering that if Monsey is such a Ir Shel Chessed (ok, town she chessed) why don’t the families w/ electricity invite the families w/o electricty into their homes. From my distant understanding there are many many Jews in Monsey. Some have electricity. Its a city w/ hatzala (I think), chaveirim, bikur cholim, where is the “We are one” Attitude of the BME of old? What happened to Monsey?
To #37 - I find your posting somewhat condescending and sarcastic, especially when you stated “you people, residents of the goldeneh medineh” etc. It reminds me of another individual from the UK, who also periodically posts on this board, and “qvells” in dishing out these compliments to American Yidden.
When the two record blizzards hit back in 2009, many of us were without power for up to a week in below freezing temperatures and somehow managed to survive. Unless you have a life-threatening situation with an infirm or elderly individual, going a few days without power is not a big deal for anyone who has taken minimal steps to plan for such a contingency. And no, its NOT a big deal to have to daven without a minyan for a few days or having to eat cold chulent or take a cold shower. The Ebeshter will understand since all you hasgacha paratis fanatics know it was Hashem’s decision to send us the snow in the first place.
As one who lives in very cold Montreal I can sympathize with those of you who have suffered thru this event.
In January 1998 we suffered a very long power outage here in Montreal so much so that my elderly parents and I had to bunk at a local Shul for 5 days.
It was cold to the point that the night temps went down to -20c.
I drained the hot water heating system of its water, for I was afraid the system would freeze and burst the piping. I also shut the electricity to the house while we were away at the shul.
One local yokel forgot to turn off the electricity to his heating system after the water in his heating system froze, with a resulting fire that burned his house down, once the electricity came on.
The one thing I learned from that time is that we take too many things for granted. In todays times without electricity we are at G-d’s mercy.
I would suggest that you have a gas stove with a manual start, similar to what they have in Israel, at least you will be able to warm some food and water.
Keep warm and hopefully it will pass quickly.