As over 1,000 rockets rained down on civilians in Israel, Jewish National Fund-USA’s resilience centers, bomb shelters, and other fortified infrastructure, along with its network of community support initiatives, kept families safe as the organization pledges to raise $1 million over the coming days to support current and future on the ground needs.
“The people of Israel are not resting, and neither are we,” said Jewish National Fund-USA President, Dr. Sol Lizerbram. “The power of our organization goes beyond the dollars we raise and even the work we achieve. We make an impact because we are made up of a group of organizations and people whom we can mobilize to make a difference immediately. Those organizations and people believe in us because our ambassadors (lay leaders) throughout the United States trust them, and they trust us.”
Key Points:
- Jewish National Fund-USA’s leadership held an emergency call with affiliates to hear about their experiences and to ensure all on-the-ground needs were being met
- Three bomb shelters that Jewish National Fund-USA built for Israeli communities on the border with Gaza enabled local families to hold Shabbat services, thus helping to maintain some semblance of normalcy amidst the turmoil
- Alexander Muss High School in Israel made its dormitories available to families in the south seeking to evacuate. A list of other facilities was also compiled. Green Horizons and Hashomer HaChadash volunteers stood ready to support on-the-ground logistics
- Funds raised over the coming days and weeks will provide for current and future needs such as busses, food, accommodations, counselors, and other requirements as they arise.
Chair of Jewish National Fund-USA’s Gaza Envelope Task Force, Betsy Fischer, added: “For decades, we have made millions of dollars worth of philanthropic investments in the Gaza Envelope for times like these which we sincerely hope never come, but are ready for when they do. There isn’t a moment that goes by that we aren’t thinking about how else we can support Israel’s brave citizens who remain resilient under these most trying of circumstances. I am proud of everything our Task Force has achieved, and just like we were there for Israel yesterday, we will be there for our homeland today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.”
To support Israelis living in the Gaza Envelope and surrounding regions, visit jnf.org/gazaenvelope or contact Boaz Meir at bmeir@jnf.org or Ashley Emrani at aemrani@jnf.org.
