The fires that raged across Israel last week are, thankfully, finally over. Now the hard work of recovery begins. And in a country so small, it’s perhaps not surprising that some of the stories of destruction and survival hit close to home.

This week, staff members and volunteers from the Jewish Agency, our largest overseas partner, have been visiting communities devastated by the fire, distributing $1,000 cash subsidies to help meet the immediate needs of families who’ve lost their homes.

In Nataf, a community in the Judean Hills near Jerusalem, a Jewish Agency professional was standing in a destroyed house when she saw a familiar face, though it took her a moment to make the connection. It turns out that the home belongs to Yaakov Cohen, the chairman of Elul, a wonderful center for pluralistic Jewish learning in Jerusalem, supported by UJA. He also participates in Co.Lab, a UJA initiative that brings together diverse leaders from across Israel and spurs them to find common ground and ways of working together.

Yaakov’s daughter, Shaked, relayed what happened the night of the fire. She was at home with friends when flames suddenly engulfed the house. They ran out, taking nothing with them. The fire destroyed the roof and the entire lower level of the home. Yaakov also spoke of the loss of his precious books of Talmud. Fragments of the sacred texts were flying about in the fire and efforts were later made to collect them all.

As we know, it’s in times of crisis that we’re reminded just how much we all have in common. The recent fires were no different.

The fires were caused by a combination of extremely dry conditions and, in some instances, arson. But despite the horrific actions of a few, other stories are emerging. As reported widely in the news, in some communities, Israeli Arabs and Jews fought the fires valiantly side by side. In Haifa, an Arab contractor came to repair the roof of a synagogue and refused any payment for the wood or labor. Also in Haifa, the Arab owner of a restaurant distributed free meals to the firefighters. Our colleagues in Israel report that every damaged home was filled with friends and volunteers — some sporting kippot and others dreadlocks.

Co.Lab was created so that we might capture that same sense of unity, not just in times of crisis, but as part of the everyday fabric of Israeli society. And we continue to believe that such programs will bear fruit.

But, for today, it’s heartwarming to recognize the power of the network we enable. In addition to the Jewish Agency, other overseas partners — the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Israel Trauma Coalition — jumped into action, providing enormous support and comfort to Israelis affected by the fires. Thanks to your support, they can be there in crisis — and they’ll be there throughout the recovery.

As for Yaakov, he spoke to UJA colleagues in our Israel office and asked them to relay how much our support means to him and his family. When it felt as if everything had been torn down, it lifted Yaakov up to know that a global community was there to help. Many others who lost their homes and possessions to the fires expressed the same sentiment, amazed that Jews across the world were there to help.

Yaakov and his family will rebuild their home, and he’s optimistic it will stand even stronger. When it does, he tells us, his doors will surely be wide open.

Shabbat shalom