MELBOURNE, Australia—At this time of year, as the Australian summer comes to a close, the pristine beaches of Queensland’s Gold Coast are typically shimmering under blue skies. Further north, Byron Shire and the Sunshine Coast offer some of the continent’s most breathtaking natural landscapes. This paradise-like setting, usually bustling with tourists and locals enjoying the quintessential Australian coastal lifestyle, now stands in the shadow of an approaching disaster.
Cyclone Alfred, an “extremely rare” Category 2 storm, is barreling toward Australia’s southeastern coast, threatening to bring devastation to regions unaccustomed to severe weather events. The cyclone, which is expected to make landfall near Brisbane by Friday evening, has stalled off the coast, only serving to prolong the anxiety as communities prepare for what could be the most significant storm to directly impact the area in decades.
“Alfred is the first cyclone to directly impact Brisbane since Nancy in 1990,” said Rabbi Levi Jaffe, who co-directs Chabad-Lubavitch of Brisbane with his wife, Devorah. “Even in the last few hours, we’ve seen it coming slower and changing direction a little bit, which has delayed its landfall. We don’t know when it will hit.”
Jaffe sees in the impending storm a parallel to the upcoming holiday of Purim. “The same way that on Purim ‘v’enahafoch hu’ [‘the situation was reversed’], we are praying that the same thing happens here.”
Alfred has prompted widespread closures across Queensland and New South Wales. The city of Brisbane has shut down trains, buses and ferry services. Schools, airports and many businesses have closed as residents rush to stockpile supplies and fortify their homes with sandbags. Authorities have urged people in the projected path to evacuate before conditions deteriorate further. In a historic first that highlights the severity of the upcoming weather event, the opening of the Australian Rules football season—scheduled to take place on Thursday night local time in Brisbane—has even been postponed due to stay-at-home orders.
‘We Are Waiting … ’
Despite being approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the nearest city with significant Jewish infrastructure, Rabbi Tomer Ben Harosh and his wife Inbar Rachel, who co-direct Chabad Byron Shire in the sleepy town of Mullumbimby, Northern NSW, are at the forefront of community support efforts.
Mullumbimby is home to some 3,500 permanent residents, but that number swells at different times of the year as the shire welcomes thousands of backpackers and tourists. The region is particularly popular among Israeli tourists. Chabad Byron Shire regularly hosts more than 60 people for Shabbat. This week, the number is closer to 20.
“Many people left as soon as the first murmurs of transport closing happened,” Inbar Ben Harosh told Chabad.org, as pots clanged in the background amid a chorus of Hebrew-language banter from those assembled at the Chabad center preparing for Shabbat. “We’re preparing for no electricity and being unable to leave for a few days.”
The Chabad center is situated further from the ocean, making it relatively safer. At the same time, they’re preparing for extended isolation.
The Ben Haroshes have turned their Chabad center into an impromptu shelter for Israeli travelers who haven’t fled. “Someone donated a generator, and we have stocked up on as much food as we thought we needed,” Inbar said.
In laid-back Mullumbimby, it is not unusual for Israeli backpackers to sleep in their vehicles—accommodations not recommended during this natural event.
“I went to the area where they typically park the vans in which they sleep and found many who were planning to do so for the duration of the cyclone,” Rabbi Ben Harosh said. “I invited them to come to us. In general, many turned to me to ask for help but even those who didn’t, I came to them and sent out messages to invite them.”
Tom Naveh, a native Israeli who has been living at the Chabad center for two months, described the atmosphere there as a “family vibe.”
“Things are very rainy, wet, stormy, for now; it is not as extreme as I thought, but we are waiting. We are all here together making dinner for Shabbat tomorrow. For those of us so far from home, being at Chabad gives us a home away from home.”
‘Making Sure Everyone Is OK’
Further north, Rabbi Nir Gurevitch, director of Chabad Gold Coast, has been reaching out to community members while following authorities’ advice to stay home.
“At the moment, it’s dangerous to stay outside; everyone is sheltering in place,” the rabbi said. “Many community members have reached out to us, and we’ve reached out to them to let them know what to do, how to prepare and how to stay safe while we all wait this out.”
With the cyclone expected to hit during Shabbat, Gurevitch has had to adapt. “We don't yet know what Shabbat will look like, how hard the cyclone will hit and how we may be affected,” he admits. “We’ve sent out a newsletter and instructions in case of emergency, and to the children, we have sent Purim-themed activities to keep them active at home.”
In Brisbane, Rabbi Jaffe is coordinating with other community organizations to provide support:
“We’re on hand, we’re in touch with the community, sending emails, calling and making sure everyone’s OK,” he said. “We’re working with other community organizations to offer support, and we’re volunteering to help and coordinate volunteers.”
On the Sunshine Coast, Chabad’s director, Rabbi Oshy Goodman, has been stocking up supplies in preparation. “No one is leaving their homes, and no one is really asking for help yet. If things get bad, we’re prepared and ready to help.”
As 40-foot-high waves crash against the Australian coast, tree branches fall and winds buffet cities and towns alike, the Chabad emissaries remain undeterred, their thoughts not merely on surviving, but on how to ensure their communities are thriving in the wake of the storm.
Says Inbar Ben Harosh: “This is an opportunity to pray, put on tefillin, light candles and celebrate Shabbat together, and to turn what might otherwise be a frightening and overwhelming time into one of true community and spirit.”
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