UJA-Federation donors have given more than $1 million in a special campaign for Haiti relief efforts following January’s massive earthquake.
In an April 30th breakfast in Great Neck, Shir Dar, an ob-gyn doctor in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), spoke about why the IDF rushed a delegation to set up a field hospital in Haiti. “Israel has a lot of experience in responding to disasters because of war and other missions we’re involved with,” he said. “But it’s also because of who we are as Jews — we care for other people and we can help. It’s a humanitarian project.”
The IDF field hospital played a critical role in the immediate response to the earthquake, and UJA-Federation funds continue to provide ongoing aid to help Haiti rebuild, including support for water tanks, temporary schools, and food.
UJA-Federation funds were sent to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency, which allocated donations to Haiti. ♦
Zayit, an innovative program that includes study groups, Shabbat programs, and holiday events, is reinvigorating Jewish life for Israelis living in Emek Hefer, an agricultural region between Netanya and Hadera.
Eli Gur, planning executive in Israel for UJA-Federation, which provides support for Zayit, says, “We see the search for connection to the larger Israeli community through Jewish experiences as especially relevant at this time of political, economic, and security uncertainties.”
Since Zayit started in 2006, it has created:
- 17 Jewish study groups
- Holiday and special events
- Kabbalat Shabbat programs
- Lectures with leading Israeli scholars and artists
- Leadership programs to empower community activists
- Youth programs ♦
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