The Bernstein family finds strength, community after they have lost at home in Palisades Fire

The destruction of Eliana Bernstein's house in Pacific Palisades also threatened the loss of her Westwood apartment.

Bernstein, a student of political science in the third year, said she moved into her apartment just a few days before the forest fires of Los Angeles County. However, after her family had been driven out by the Palisades Fire, the search for alternative apartments meant two rent payments and the mortgage on the lost house – costs that she said that her family could not afford to replace lost objects.

“Your whole life can be fully recorded,” said Bernstein. “Our only focus was really to find out where to live.”

A number of forest fires burned in La County, whereby the Palisades Fire – which was closest to the next on the campus – burned over 23,000 acres according to the California Ministry of Forest and Fire Protection or Cal Fire.

[Related: JANUARY 2025 FIRES]

The Palisades Fire also significantly damaged the Marquez Charter Elementary School and about 40% of the Palisades Charter High School – both schools that visited Bernstein.

Bernstein, who lived in the Palisades of Highland for 15 years, said that the neighborhood was its own bladder with palm -related roads, juicy gardens and sea views in the bluffs.

“You learned a lot about the world there,” said Bernstein.

After the loss of her house, her family had difficulty finding a new home because he had increasing rent, said Amy Bernstein, Eliana's mother. Amy added that after her work as a rabbi in Kehillat Israel – the local synagogue of the Pacific Palisades – she withdrawn in Kehillat Israel to collect her insurance money and move into a cheaper state so that Eliana could continue to live in Westwood.

“You don't get insurance money immediately, so you have nothing,” said Amy. “You still have all your bills. You still have to pay your mortgage. You still have to pay for all your bills and tuition fees on the UCLA and rent it on the UCLA. ”

Despite these difficult decisions, Amy said that she and Eliana had found herself together, with Amy strengthening strength of Eliana's strength as she remains true to the entire recess. She added that her friends offered her temporary living space for a year so that Eliana can keep her apartment.

“In a way, we lost everything,” said Amy. “What we have not lost is each other.”

The running fire, which devastated the house of the Bernstein 'Highlands home, began on January 7th and blocked the designated fire fleeing path of the Palisades Highlands and later spread to Sunset Boulevard and catch the residents – including Amy – in the neighborhood.

[Related: ‘Everything is just gone’: Bruins grapple with homes lost in LA wildfires]

When some of her neighbors defended her houses with water bowls, her mother could only leave until the first aiders bulled left vehicles outside the street, said Eliana.

The next day, Eliana said that she was confirmed that her home of Live Aerial News film material was on fire. Amy said she also received a video from a colleague who was in the highlands during the catastrophe, which included his experience with first aiders.

He said, 'Please, please save this house. She is a community leader, “she said.” They looked at him and said: 'We have no water.' ”

The house in the Spanish style of the amber was decorated with a passion fruit dug on the veranda and surrounded by green, said Eliana and added that her home was lined with family pictures, albums and souvenirs.

Eliana said that the most difficult things for her are the years of birthday cards that she had been handwritten for her mother and the 175 books that she had collected throughout her childhood. She added that she grew up with her neighbors' houses – some of which survived the fire.

“Your house is your house,” said Eliana. “But then it is another thing for all the houses they went to when they were little away to be gone.”

In addition to the academics, Eliana said that after the fire she had to start all over and drove through the city to get the basic needs from auxiliary centers. She added that she sometimes forgets to take care of herself because she had to do everyday tasks.

However, Amy said that Eliana has become more resistant in the past few weeks.

“She still loves the dog as if nothing had happened,” said Amy. “She is there for her friends as if nothing had happened. She is able to laugh and be her ridiculous self – no matter what happened. “

Furthermore, Kaufman, Elianas Patin, who visited the Bernsteins after the fires of La, said that Eliana and Amy had found strength in their love for their community, with the fire made a bond under his victims.

“You know, there are hats and shirts, 'Palisades strong,” said Kaufman. “These two (Eliana and Amy) define it.”

Kaufman also said Eliana protected her mother during the entire recovery process.

Although meaningful possessions have now disappeared in Eliana's future, she said that she was now even more motivated to become a lawyer for human rights or civil rights. She added that the catastrophe had helped her to get more connected to family and friends.

“We all plan to spread our wings after the college and to do what they want to do, wherever they want to do it,” said Eliana. “But I definitely feel how I am now rooted in my community more than ever, and I am now invested when I have invested my friends spectators to build their houses.”