Rabbi Jeffery Kurtz-Lendner discusses life for him and his congregation after the devastating storm—Northshore did not suffer the brunt of the damage but was still significantly impacted. The storm ripped off the synagogue's roof, but the Torahs were unharmed. Jeffery also talks about how it was nearly impossible to contact others for the first few weeks following the storm—all of the phones were down, and people resorted to emailing when they could. Despite Northshore being spared the physical damage that the city experienced, Jeffery notes that Katrina still created an economic crisis for many people in his community. He explains how he contributed to helping his congregants get back on their feet, giving many people checks of up to $1000 if they expressed need. However, people often found it difficult to ask him for help, so he often heard that a congregant was struggling through the grapevine. September 9, 2005, just weeks after the storm, Jeffery held a service at the congregation, which he called a "refugee Shabbat." He said it was a very healing experience, all of them together, supporting one another. However, he also talks about the devastation he witnessed—he had to administer six funerals in one year. He notes the failures of the government in their time of need and how his congregation experienced many hardships because of the government's ineffectiveness.