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If there is one positive thing about a catastrophic communal trauma, those who have experienced it know and understand the needs of those who survive another one. While words cannot adequately describe the immense pain, loss and suffering from the fires in California, certainly we have seen sufficient photographs to be emotionally moved by them. Not that surviving a mass traumatic event makes me an expert, it does provide time and wisdom to better understand the current needs. To sum it up, the survivors of the California fires don’t know what they need, and don’t even know what they don’t know. What should be done first? Where do we go? How do we get clothing, food, a place to sleep? The volume of questions is mind-boggling, the answers not so apparent. And it is not merely the immediate physical needs; the psychological toll will also come into play. It might not be right away, but rather, delayed. We have seen in Pittsburgh people traumatized by 10.27 who seemed fine yet showed post-traumatic stress five years later. 

For those of us fortunate not to have suffered such a catastrophe, how do we respond? Where is the best place to donate funds? What else can we do? I would like to think that most of us would respond with these questions, modelling the caring nature of our humanity. Permit me to share just one story out of the thousands, one that has a special and unique connection to the Tree of Life Congregation.

Jeff Garris served more than 30 years with the Pittsburgh Police, most recently as a SWAT team member, and retired with his family to California. Jeff was present in the Tree of Life building on October 27, putting his own life on the line to rescue us. For his bravery that day, he was awarded the Courage Under Hostile Fire Award. This is a man who devoted his professional life to taking care of other people. Tragically, Jeff and his family lost everything in the California fires, where he had just recently moved. As was explained to me, he left with the clothes on his back and his car. 

There is no one who would be bragging that their suffering amid these fires was worse than someone else’s. So many thousands are suffering. Alas, we cannot help all of them as much as we would want. However, we can help one. The special connection that the Tree of Life Congregation has with Jeff Garris, his bravery and courage, speaks to me and says: This is how we say thank you. 

A GoFundMe page has been established to assist Jeff and his family, and this would be an entirely fitting and proper way to say thank you to a devoted public servant who risked his life to save us. Here is the unique link to the page: https://gofund.me/2a79bea6 

I will be donating to help support Jeff and his family in their time of need, since Jeff was there in my time of need. I encourage you to do the same. Rabbi Hillel taught: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I?