Jewish Federations raises $388 million for Israel to help its citizens
The number already represents two-thirds of its $500 million target to help the country
The Jewish Federations of North America has announced that it has raised $388 million to support Israel as the country scrambles to recover from the 7/10 attack which left more than 1,300 dead and hundreds either missing or held captive by Hamas.
$50 million of the funds have already started to be allocated and an additional $20 million more announced today. So far, money has been distributed to 20 organizations that will address immediate and urgent needs such as medical care, emergency services, evacuation, transport, housing, supporting victims of terror, trauma relief, and psychological support as well as preparing for medium- and long-term needs. Confirmed organizations set to receive some funds include the Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, World ORT, Israel Trauma Coalition, United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, ZAKA, Barzilai Medical Center, and the Soroka Medical Center.
The announcement was made at a breakfast caucus before a separate "Unity in Crisis" event in Washington, D.C, that coincided with President Biden’s visit to Israel earlier this week. It was co-hosted alongside the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, AIPAC, AJC, and the ADL, among others. It featured congressional leaders from both parties and representatives from the Biden administration.
“We felt it was important to come to Washington because while we are so proud of the response of President Biden and Congress in support of Israel, we want to say thank you but also we want to make sure it continues,” said Eric D. Fingerhut, the President and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America speaking to CTech. “We know this war will be long and difficult, and it will be challenging. We flew in hundreds of people from Jewish federations around the country and we were honored to have the leadership of Congress, both houses and both parties, and they spoke remarkably beautifully in support of Israel. It was a significant event that I think will have a strong impact on Israel and Jewish unity of the people.”
The Jewish Federations of North America is made up of 146 federations across the USA that provide all the services, support, and education for their community and collectively support the Jewish people around the world.
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“If Hamas had its way, it would do to all the Jews what it did to Jews along the Gaza Strip,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the first Jewish Senate Majority Leader in the Senate at the event. "If the threat that Hamas has is not eliminated, it will come back again.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), added: "We’re facing a moment that demands moral clarity, this is a time for choosing, and the choice is crystal clear: We must stand with America’s closest ally in the Middle East, with the people of Israel, and with those held hostage by terrorists and with their families, and we must condemn mend barbaric terrorists, their evil sponsors and the legacy of hatred towards Jews that has stained world history for millennia."
Since the 7/10 attacks, more than 1,300 Israelis have been killed, marking what many are stating as the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. As war rages on, hundreds more are kidnapped within the Gazan borders by Hamas, the terrorist organization that runs the region.
Efforts are also in effect locally in Israel, with millions volunteering time, money, and goods for families and soldiers affected by the war. Members of Startup Nation recently launched the Israeli Children’s Fund, a voluntary initiative focused on providing help for the children who have been affected by the attacks.
