My husband Daniel and I came to California 12 years ago after escaping a dangerous situation in Brooklyn, where we had a menacing neighbor next door. We took a huge chance leaving the east coast, but I wanted to be here.

I’d spent summer camp in Northern California as a teen, where I healed from my depression and saw so much beauty. I said, “One day, I hope to live in California!” I pinch myself all the time that my dream came true.

Over the past 12 years, Daniel and I have fallen in love with California. The LA Jewish community is incredible, as is the broader population. Most people I meet are good-hearted, genuine and always willing to offer a helping hand. I was surprised by Angelenos’ kindness because I always heard they were fake. I rarely encounter that.

Instead, I see the kind of love and support that’s come to the forefront this week in the face of the wildfires, in the face of absolute heartbreak and devastation. Thankfully, my family and I are far from the fires, but the suffering is so close. I feel terrible for our neighbors in the Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, Altadena and other areas that are in ruins. My fellow Angelenos are in so much pain right now.

All of us have wonderful memories here. For instance, Daniel and I got our chickens at the Malibu Feed Bin, a family-run business for 66 years. We would buy our chicken feed at the store every few weeks and take all our newborn children there to meet the sweet women working behind the counter.

I remember one time, we wanted to see the chickens, but we weren’t allowed because the owners had trapped what they called a “big cat” that was trying to eat them.

“Ohhh, can we see it?” we asked, thinking it was some sort of mountain lion.

“Yes, but don’t come near it. You have to be careful,” the woman told us, as she directed us away from the store.

When we got to the trap, we saw it was just a fat house cat. We cracked up laughing the whole way home.

This week, as I was scrolling X at 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning, anxiously looking for updates, I saw that the Malibu Feed Bin had burned down. I burst into tears.

The fire also took so many people’s homes and iconic businesses. One of them was The Reel Inn; though I never ate there, as a writer, I always enjoyed the cute fish puns they’d put on their sign, like “Eeelectric Light Orcastra” and “Swim Shady.” It brought a smile to my face. I also had a wonderful time at a holiday party that was held at Moonshadows, which had a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean. It’s now gone.

There are people online who mistakenly believe that only celebrities and rich people are suffering from the fire. Even if that were true, they are still people. Losing your home is awful whether you have $1 or $1 million in your bank account. Yes, it’s easier for wealthy people to rebuild, but it still takes an incredible toll on their mental and emotional health, and we should have empathy for them as well.

Read my latest column for the @JewishJournal on the California wildfires: