Community Magazine December 2012

Imagineanentireschoolbuildingsubmergedunderwater. Everythingfrombooksanddeskstocomputersandofficeequipment,educational visions half a century in the making, destroyed in a matter of just a few hours. Thisnightmarishvisionwastheunfortunaterealityforourcommunity’sYeshivah Belle Harbor (YBH) in Far Rockaway. Following the unrestrained wrath of super storm Sandy, the yeshivah’s main facilities, located on the bottom floor of a building just one block fromthe ocean, flooded quickly and completely during the storm. All that was left of a school that meant so much to parents and children were moldy, wet ruins. Nothing could be saved. While most families in Flatbush managed to get through the storm while sufferingonlyfromtemporaryinconveniences, likepoweroutages,gasshortages and downed trees, many of our brothers, across the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Bridge lost everything. And while such catastrophic losses are tough for anyone to bear, for children, the total destruction of their school is, understandably, an especially difficult challenge. KELLY MASSRY 46 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE