As  residents  throughout  Southern  California  faced  the  unenviable  task  of  returning to charred  homes  after  a  series of wildfires swept across bone-dry municipalities, religious communities sprung into action to offer help and words of hope.

Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie, co-director of the North County Chabad-Lubavitch Center in Yorba Linda, said that the worst of the flames struck his Orange County area during Shabbat services on Saturday. Several community members’ homes were destroyed.

“There’s still a serious fire here,” stated Eliezrie as picked up a list of members’ contact numbers before heading out to the worst-hit neighborhoods. “Last night, we went to deliver water to the police and fire crews. Today, we’re going to meet with families.”

Morteza Khalili, who moved to Yorba Linda in 1998, said that he was at the synagogue when Rabbi Levi Blesofsky, the education director, came inside to say that the clouds of white smoke all around them had turned to black.

“I couldn’t stay,” said Khalili, who lost his house in the blaze, one of three raging infernos that have burned almost 33,000 acres.

When he got home, the flames were quickly approaching. He and his wife didn’t have time to take any belongings.

“I went home to grab my wife,” he said. “The fire was everywhere.”

On Sunday, the couple went shopping for basic necessities and clothes. He said that they were staying at his brother’s house.

Article continued at Chabad.org