Iran launched a large-scale missile assault on Israeli cities on June 13. In Bat Yam, a quiet coastal town just south of Tel Aviv, residential buildings were hit directly. At least nine people were killed, including three children, and nearly 200 were injured. More than 2,000 residents were evacuated with no time to gather belongings, no home to return to, and no clear sense of what comes next.
Within 48 hours, La’Aretz Foundation responded by creating an emergency-relief campaign to directly assist those who lost everything in this coastal community.
“We watched families lose everything in seconds,” said Shelly and Mike Pitman, founders of La’Aretz Foundation, in a joint statement. “Jews across the world feel connected to their Israeli brothers and sisters right now, and everyone is looking for ways to make a direct impact. This is about helping people who were sitting down to dinner one moment and running for their lives the next. La’Aretz was built for this.”
La’Aretz Foundation’s goal is to raise $1.35 million to provide 500 displaced families with $2,500 grants for urgent needs like clothing, hygiene products, medications, and shelter. Within two days, the campaign has already raised some $700,000. A generous donor provided a substantial donation to help La’Aretz surpass the 50% mark soon after the campaign began.
The campaign is being coordinated directly with the Bat Yam Municipality, as well as local social workers who are assessing needs in real time on the ground and distributing aid accordingly.
La’Aretz’s support enables direct, immediate support to Israelis in crisis. Since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, the Pitmans have raised more than $7 million for Israelis in need.
Donations can be made at: givebutter.com/BatYam.
