Hurricane Melissa severely damages Jamaica’s Chabad Centre
Rabbi Yaakov Raskin takes emergency shelter with his family as Torah scrolls are evacuated from synagogue
The Chabad centre in Jamaica is among the hundreds of buildings devastated by Hurricane Melissa, which hit the Caribbean island directly on Tuesday afternoon, bringing record 185 mph winds, over 40 inches of rain and storm surges that caused massive destruction.
Rabbi Yaakov and Chaya Raskin and their children, who are based in Montego Bay, took shelter in a small, windowless bathroom as the community prayed remotely for their safety during the strongest storm in Jamaica’s history, with many sharing photos of themselves wearing tefillin and reciting prayers through WhatsApp.
Just three days ago forecasts told locals to expect a tropical storm. By the time it became clear Melissa was turning into the strongest hurricane recorded so far this year the airports were closed and it was too late to leave.
Recently renovated in 2023, the Chabad building was equipped with hurricane-rated doors and windows that should have withstood the storm. However, Melissa’s unprecedented force blew the main glass door off its hinges and shattered most of the windows.
with Ziggy Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley. Pic: Twitter/X
Additionally, Rabbi Raskin told Chabad.org that his daughter’s room is “gone”, along with freezers packed with kosher food—provisions meant to serve the Jewish community in the storm’s aftermath.
All of the beds and mattresses have been wedged against the main glass doors to prevent it from caving in, and to protect the home from the wind and rain.
Extreme winds ripped air-conditioning units and solar panels from the roof and hurled them away. The backup generator has failed to kick in. The family has only one cell phone with power, and with phone and electricity towers down, and the internet and Starlink failing, communication remains sporadic at best.
The Torah scrolls are safe, having been moved to the windowless mikvah room early Tuesday once water began coming into the synagogue.
The Raskin family has withstood numerous storms and natural disasters since 2014, most recently in 2024 with Hurricane Beryl, when the Chabad House sustained $30,000 in damages.
Since the storm hit, a family of visiting tourists, who were staying in a more vulnerable location, have moved into the Raskins’ home.
Speaking just hours before Hurricane Melissa made landfall, Rabbi Raskin said: “We are the Rebbe’s emissaries here. We have a responsibility to every Jew and non-Jew on the island. G‑d runs the world. Our job is to prepare as best we can and trust that He’ll do the rest.”
Another 14 inches of rain are expected, even as Melissa leaves Jamaica and turns towards Cuba, adding to the estimated 40 inches that have already fallen.
While the Raskin family are protected from storm surges, with the Chabad centre situated on a mountaintop, rain and wind have been tearing through the home from all sides for hours.
YNet reports that hours after the storm passed, they managed to contact friends and supporters, thanking them for their prayers, writing in a message: “Thank God, we and the children are safe and alive.”
They remain without stable internet service but have continued sending brief updates to reassure the Jewish community.
Authorities in Jamaica have reported massive damage and flooding throughout the country, with houses destroyed and infrastructure down in countless areas.
Hurricane Melissa has now claimed at least seven lives: three in Jamaica during storm preparations, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.
- Chabad Jamaica has set up a fundraising campaign to support the community. Click here to help.
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