June 13, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute
United Jewish Communities, an umbrella organization encompassing 189 Jewish federations, has raised $140-million for relief efforts in Israel since beginning an emergency campaign in April.
Called “We Stand With Israel Now and Forever,” the campaign commenced soon after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 29 Israelis and injured 140 during a Passover Seder in Netanya, Israel, in March. United Jewish Communities board members pledged $13-million in the days between the bombing and the official announcement of the emergency campaign.
Even before a series of violent attacks on Israeli civilians began in March, local federations had raised $90-million for Israel in local, uncoordinated campaigns. With the money raised in the national campaign, the total amount available for relief now stands at $230-million. The group hopes to raise at least $300-million, though it says the amount needed depends in part on what happens in the Middle East over the next few months.
United Jewish Communities said the money would be used to provide direct financial aid to Israelis who had suffered in the attacks and their families, emergency services, counseling, and other social services. United Jewish Communities’ overseas arms, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, will disburse the money.
Glenn Rosenkrantz, a spokesman for United Jewish Communities, says the group has not set an official date for the Israel campaign to end. “As long as there are terrorist attacks against innocent Israeli civilians, there will be a need for American Jews to coalesce around this issue,” he said.
Last month major religious movements within American Judaism — representing conservative, orthodox, reconstructionist, and reform Jews — said they would encourage their members to support the campaign.
