Many friends have reached out to me, and I and my family are grateful for your concern, love, and interest.

I’m writing at 6:30 am on Sunday morning, January 12^th. Every day is dynamic and it’s impossible to know what fire threats are lurking ahead. What I write here is a snapshot in time and part of a much longer drama.

My wife and I are okay, as are our kids and grandchildren who are a bit further away from the fire than us.

As far as I know, none of my synagogue’s families has lost anything (yet). Other than the “Sunset Fire” that came within 3 blocks of Temple Israel of Hollywood, our members are safe and their homes are secure.

We’re watching the local news in all our waking hours, and waiting expectantly and anxiously for mandatory evacuation orders.

We live at the eastern edge of Sherman Oaks, a San Fernando Valley community nestled in the hills in a highly flammable fire zone. Our home is about 3-4 miles east of the current front of the Palisades fire, but that front could move in our direction and be here quickly when the Santa Ana winds pick up as they’re expected to do again in the next several days. This time they are expected to blow at a speed of between 40 and 50 mph over a period of three days (tonight through Wednesday), as opposed to the initial days of the fire that hit the Pacific Palisades and Altadena (near Pasadena) so ferociously when the Santa Anas were blowing at an unprecedented speed and power of between 80 and 100 mph.

We aren’t yet in the evacuation zone that keeps expanding east and north from Mandeville Canyon in West Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Mountains. We’ve packed essentials and are ready to evacuate when and if ordered.

The size and scope of the fires are unprecedented. Thousands upon thousands of homes are gone especially in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena communities. My high school (Palisades High) is gone [correction: I have learned subsequently that initial reports were misleading and though much of the school was destroyed, much also remains in tact], as are two synagogues (one in the Palisades and the other in Pasadena) and thousands of businesses everywhere have been destroyed. Smoke fills the air throughout the region and we’re told to stay inside as much as possible and wear the heavy-duty Covid masks if we venture outside.

The destruction is dystopic in scope. Entire communities are gone, ash has settled everywhere and smoke fills the air. This fire reminds me vividly of the devastating 1961 Bel Air Fire when I was in the 6^th grade at Kenter Canyon Elementary School and 450 homes were destroyed including those of many of my school mates. This series of fires, however, is exponentially worse. About ten people have been arrested for looting, two of whom posed as fire-fighters, but most people have been cooperative with fire officials and the police, followed instructions and are either evacuating immediately when ordered or are staying home. Those who lost their homes have moved in with family, friends or taken rooms in hotels temporarily until the fires cease and they can begin to think about what to do next.

People from everywhere have gathered spontaneously at Santa Anita Park, contributing and receiving clothing, diapers, food, and water for those who have lost everything. Also food and water are being delivered directly to firefighters and journalists reporting for extended hours on the front fire-lines.

Fire-fighting equipment (planes and choppers carrying water and fire retardants) have come from throughout California, Canada, Mexico, and every western state (Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada). To watch on the local news how these fires are being fought strategically and professionally by thousands of fire-fighters is something extraordinary to behold.

President Joe Biden promised to fund for the next 180 days the entirety of the fire-fighting effort in LA County. California Governor Gavin Newsom asked the other western states and Mexico for help, and the Mexican President (the first Jew and first woman ever elected to the presidency in Mexico) sent 70 fire-fighters who arrived on Saturday afternoon at LAX and immediately entered the fire arenas to assist in the fight. Our LA Mayor Karen Bass and the County Board of Supervisors are coordinating everything across departments. The people of LA County (10 million souls of every race, ethnicity, nationality, religious, and secular background) and Ventura County to the north have come together as one. Everyone is focused on the same things – the safety of their families, friends, the status of the fire, their homes, communities, schools, religious institutions, and businesses.

As we decided what to take with us, most every material thing is insignificant in the grand scheme of our lives. What are important are the people we love – our family, friends, and community.

We aren’t yet out of danger. Last night, however, one LAFD Captain reported on the NBC local news (to our personal relief) that he did not believe that the Palisades Fire would cross east of the 405 Freeway. His positive and optimistic assessment was stunning to my ears after days of intense anxiety. As noted above, our home in Sherman Oaks is about 3 miles to the east of the 405 and one mile south of the 101 Freeway. However, the fires are threatening Encino (west of the 405 and a mile north and down the mountain from where the fires have progressed), and we have family and friends there who have evacuated their homes.

We breathed, guardedly, a great sigh of relief for the first time when we heard the opinion of the LAFD Captain. But, and it’s a big “BUT”, with the Santa Ana winds threatening to begin again in the next few days, anything is possible as embers are caught up in the wind and carried far away to ignite new fires.

There has been a great deal of interest in how these multiple fires began. Were their origins electrical in nature or caused by carelessness or arson? Investigators from the FBI, Police, Sheriff, and Fire Departments are seeking answers, but until the fires are under complete control and/or extinguished (and that still will take many many days), no answers are likely to come soon.

Patience, perseverance, love, and mutual support are required now from everyone. I’m grateful to my kids here in LA who have been so present for my wife and me, and our many friends who have written to me from Israel, Europe and around North America inquiring how we are doing.

Hopefully, the above gives a sense not only of our circumstances, but of everyone in this region. My personal gratitude is huge to the officials in all the departments of this city and county, and most especially to the fire-fighters, police and sheriff departments.

May the work of their hands continue to be effective as they seek with courage and strength to extinguish these fires and protect us all.