The wildfires that have been raging in northern California on Monday has devastated most of the buildings at URJ Camp Newman.
The camp made their somber announcement on their Facebook page on Monday, writing: “It is with tremendous shock and sadness that we share that the majority of the buildings at our beloved Camp Newman home have been destroyed.”
Because fires are still ravaging the area, it could be up “to a few days” before anyone from the camp is able to reach the site. No one from Camp Newman’s staff was injured in the fires.
The Facebook post thanked “the first responders and firefighters who attempted to save our camp buildings” and suggested that anyone in need of shelter in the area should go toward Congregation Shomrei Torah.
“We have been so moved by your outpouring of love, support and concern for camp,” the post read. “It is a powerful reminder that Camp is about our holy community, our kehillah kedosha.”
Camp Newman will be using their Facebook page to share more details about how the camp will proceed going forward and how people can help them.
The full post can be read below:
According to Dan Pine and Sue Fishkoff of J.-The Jewish News of Northern California, everyone living at the site was evacuated and the Torah scrolls are safe from the fire.
Located in Santa Rosa, Camp Newman has been providing over 1,400 campers per summer a place to learn about how Judaism can be a way of life for them since 1997. They opened a $4 million conference center back in November.
The fires in northern California began at 10 p.m. on Sunday and resulted in 10 dead and forced as many as 20,000 people to evacuate. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is calling on President Trump to declare the fires as a major disaster.
