Since the outbreak of “Operation Roaring Lion,” the International Fellowship for Christians and Jews (IFCJ) has distributed hundreds of gift cards to families who have been evacuated from homes damaged or destroyed by the war.
One hundred cards, each valued at 1,000 shekels ($322), were distributed on March 17 to families from Beit Shemesh that were forced out of their homes by an Iranian missile that killed nine people. The cards are intended to help the families purchase clothing and essentials for their immediate needs.
With the number of affected families continuously on the rise, the Fellowship is working with residents from all across the country, including many along Israel’s northern border. The IFCJ staff are in contact with local welfare authorities to determine updated needs and to ensure quick and relevant responses.
The program is one of many ongoing efforts by the Fellowship to support immediate needs through an initial allocation of $2 million for relief and civil defense efforts from the current war.
Included is the delivery and placement of dozens of mobile shelters that are being added in public spaces; hundreds of first-responder medical kits; 1,000 helmets and bullet-proof vests for United Hatzalah volunteers; cooked meals for Holocaust survivors; sleeping accommodations in shelters for elderly residents who spend extended time unable to return to homes without adequate protection; and assistance for hospitals and the immigrant community.
“In the face of a crisis, the Fellowship does not wait. We and our partners act immediately, keeping the security and essential needs of the Jewish people at the forefront,” said Yael Eckstein, president of the organization started by her father, Israeli American Rabbi Yehiel Eckstein. “This level of readiness would not be possible without our generous donors.”
Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Fellowship has committed $300 million in aid to support emergency needs in Israel and to continue assisting in core program areas—from prepackaged food, water and equipment for first responders and security personnel to aliyah support of new immigrants and other populations in need.
