Dozens of Jewish people are believed to be among those unaccounted for in Surfside, Florida, where a 12-storey building partially collapsed on Thursday.
A total of 159 remain missing and the death toll has now risen to four, officials said on Friday as rescue and search efforts continue.
Surfside features a sizable Jewish community and was, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, home to 2,500 Charedim in 2018.
Kevin Spiegel, whose wife Judy is among the missing, said the area is home to a “very spiritual and religious Jewish community which we’re really connected to.”
"We are hopeful she's there, alive and we'll see her soon."
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 25, 2021
Sky's Martha Kelner speaks to Kevin and his sons Michael and Josh, the family of Judy who was inside Champlain Towers South when it partially collapsed.
More on this: https://t.co/N2m4G7a49l pic.twitter.com/ozK0kudj1z
Mr Spiegel, who moved into the beachfront condominium five years ago, also told Sky News accessing information was “very difficult.”
He paid tribute to his wife, saying she was a philanthropist and “the glue in our family” and spoke of “her connection to the UK”.
Israel’s foreign ministry is also monitoring the situation, although it is unclear whether any of those missing hold Israeli citizenship, Lior Haiat, a spokesman, confirmed. “We are following closely the rescue efforts and we are in close touch with the local authorities and the Jewish and Israeli communities in south Florida,” he told the JC.
Israel’s consul general in Miami, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, said on Twitter that he was on the scene and his office is “doing its utmost to help the community, the authorities and the families.”
Jewish groups, meanwhile, leapt into action to support those affected by the building collapse.
The Greater Miami Jewish Federation opened up emergency assistance funds while members of Hatzala’s local branch were on the scene supporting the rescue effort.
The nearby Shul of Bal Harbour and the Jewish charity Cadena Foundation were among groups accepting donations to support families affected by the tragedy.
In Israel, United Hatzalah and the airline company El Al are working to send a psychotrauma and crisis response team to support victims and others, the Times of Israel reported today.
“As soon as the collapse occurred, we began making preparations for the mission to depart,” said United Hatzalah President Eli Beer told the newspaper.
