Most years in Greenville, S.C., the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah consist of Jewish residents scrambling to place orders from the closest kosher caterers and grocery stores, located more than 100 miles away in either Charlotte, N.C., or Atlanta. Once the menu preparations are complete, an annual tradition includes a federation-run trip to the Western North Carolina orchards in Hendersonville in the Blue Ridge Mountains to pick the perfect apples for dipping in honey.

None of that will happen this year. Just days before Rosh Hashanah, which begins Wednesday night, Greenville was among the hard-hit areas after Hurricane Helene made landfall, causing washed-out roads, fallen trees, downed power lines and widespread cellular service outages in large parts of the Southeast including North and South Carolina, as well as Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

“Deliveries have been put on hold, which anyone keeping kosher has been impacted by,” Courtney Tessler, CEO of Greenville Jewish Federation, which encompasses 11 counties in the northwestern part of the state, home to an estimated 4,500 Jewish residents, told eJewishPhilanthropy. “Scheduled services at congregations have been canceled because they don’t have power,” she continued, noting that according to estimates, power won’t be restored until Friday. “Many community members are unable to get to family in other areas for the holiday because of issues with no power and limited communication.” 

“Most people are not even able to reach out to the federation,” Tessler continued. “We are all just in limbo waiting to see if and when power will be restored. It is not a happy start to the new year.” 

At least 162 people have been killed by the storm, with many still remaining unaccounted for. Millions of people throughout the Southeast remain without power and with limited access to food and clean water. 

Jewish donors, foundations and organizations have been scrambling to provide funds and resources to relief operations. But even with rescue efforts and emergency relief funds, officials say that rebuilding will be a lengthy process. An outcome of the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe is that Jewish communities will be dispersed for the High Holy Days, a time when Jews typically come together with family and congregations. 

Still, the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene’s wrath has not been as significant in Greenville compared to other areas, most notably in Western North Carolina, particularly the city of Asheville. 

Congregation Beth Israel in Asheville, N.C., will be closed for Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat as the building is without power and water, the synagogue told members on its website. “We will update everyone as soon as possible about reopening plans. Currently none of the synagogue staff have any power, water, or Internet, which makes communication next to impossible,” the congregation’s executive director, Rochelle Reich, wrote.

Several Jewish communities in the Southeast that were also impacted by the storm — but minimally — have reached out to those harder hit, inviting members of nearby communities into their homes and synagogues for the High Holy Days.

In Charlotte, Rabbi Asher Knight, who leads Temple Beth El, is preparing his congregation to welcome residents of Asheville and other battered cities for High Holiday services — even as multiple members of his own community have had to evacuate their homes due to fallen trees. About 50 members of the congregation are signed up to host, according to Knight, who has been in communication with several rabbis in Asheville and said requests continue to come in as “congregations are finally starting to be able to get the word out to their members” with some regaining power. 

“We’re not only opening our doors but learning what specifically they need. Water is something they need so I worked with interfaith partners in a church to deliver water,” Knight said. 

Also in Charlotte, the local Chabad has been providing assistance to nearby Asheville. “We have delivered badly needed supplies to them by Sprinter van and have been collecting items they need and funds to keep them going,” Rabbi Yossi Groner, who leads Chabad of Charlotte, told eJP. One day before Rosh Hashanah, Groner said that Chabad will deliver “a trailer full of supplies and gasoline.” 

Groner has already made several such trips to Asheville, located roughly 120 miles, with  each way taking some three hours to traverse.

In Greensboro, N.C., Glenda Bernhardt, CEO of the local Jewish federation, said “we are just trying to be part of the solution.” Bernhardt emphasized that many college students, including ones from North Carolina State and University of North Carolina Asheville have had their High Holiday plans impacted. “Our local congregations are ready, willing and able to help people who can get out — but that’s part of the issue,” Bernhardt continued, “there are folks, specifically in Asheville more than any other place, that are stranded.” 

“But for folks that can get out, we are helping to facilitate connections,” she said. 

This High Holiday season comes amid an already turbulent year for Jewish communities nationwide. Next week marks the one year anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel and over the year, antisemitism has climbed to unprecedented levels across the country. 

“With everything going on in the world, this is just another thing,” Knight said. “But it’s both heartbreaking and also shows resilience and hope. We have a community not just supportive of each other in Charlotte but that also steps up for our neighbors in Western North Carolina. The hard part right now is that there is so much that is unknown.”