Ari M. Gordon Intergroup Affairs The American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 751-4000 x266
AJC "Solidarity Vans" Bring Supplies to Bomb Shelter Families in Israel
August 1, 2006 - New York - When American Jewish Committee representatives arrived at bomb shelters in northern Israel to deliver baby supplies and children's toys to families living underground, the outpouring of gratitude was potent. "Israelis in northern communities have been cut off from the world, living underground in shelters since mid-July, emerging for fresh air infrequently as they dodge endless Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks," said Rabbi Ed Rettig, of AJC's Israel Office, who has been personally delivering packages to shelters. "There is precious little time for these families to emerge from the shelters to walk around or let their children play outside," said Rettig. "When the air raid siren sounds, we had less than 60 seconds to run to the bomb shelter for safety." The AJC Solidarity Vans project is the first disbursement from the AJC Israel Emergency Assistance Fund, established two weeks ago while AJC Executive Director David A. Harris led a group of 40 on the first solidarity mission to Israel since the war with Hezbollah erupted in mid-July. More than one million dollars has been donated so far, and a needs assessment is currently underway to determine where best to allocate the funds. Decisions will be made in the coming days. Two vans carrying AJC signs delivered packages of baby supplies and toys to shelters in Safed and Nahariyya, as well as to the Druze village of Sajour, and are planning to return to the north with additional supplies later this week. AJC also is teaming up with Magen David Adom, Israel's humanitarian relief society, to purchase and deliver 500 first-aid kits to shelters in Israel's northern communities. AJC is providing the funds to purchase the first-aid kits, and Rettig again will personally deliver 100 of them. In addition, the AJC Solidarity Van project is planning to use a third vehicle to deliver supplies to several Israeli Arab communities in the north. "Hezbollah has shown no discrimination in where they aim, fire and hit. All Israelis - Jews, Christians and Muslims - already have been victimized," Harris said. Donations to the AJC Israel Emergency Assistance Fund can be made online at www.ajc.org/israelemergencyfund, or by sending a check to AJC, 165 East 56 Street, New York, NY 10022, attention: Brenda Rudzin.
Ari M. Gordon Program Associate, Intergroup Affairs The American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 751-4000 x266