UJA Federation campaign finances JAFI relief operation

The northern Israel rebuilding effort following the war with Hezbollah is being led by the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), financed by the worldwide Jewish Federation network and headed by Zeev Bielski, chair of the JAFI executive.
   
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto was the world’s first Jewish Federation to establish an Israel emergency campaign once the war broke out. Today, UJA Federation Israel Emergency Campaign 2007, still strongly underway, has $52 million with $17 million designated for Israel’s emergency needs. Emergency relief allocations will provide financial support for, among other services, vocational training to help those who lost their jobs get back to work; small business loans for northern Israel residents whose businesses went under; trauma counseling; temporary housing for the uprooted; and the restoration of social services to the elderly and other vulnerable individuals.
   
In this interview with Jewish Toronto, Bielski reveals to UJA Federation’s Howard English how the war and its aftermath have affected him and the residents of northern Israel.

Q.    How do you feel when you visit northern Israel today?
A.    I feel very badly. You see boys in hospital who are my son’s age. Sometimes, I come home almost falling apart, but I gain strength from the people who live there.

Q.    What was the impact of Toronto’s financial contributions during the war?   
A.    Toronto came forward immediately, which allowed JAFI to do what had to be done. We moved 40,000 kids from the         north to the south and the centre of the country. But it wasn’t just the money, it was the feeling that you had someone behind you. We took a risk on some of our decisions because we knew that Toronto was there.

Q.    How much damage are we dealing with in the north?
A.    The government of Israel will be paying 1.5 billion shekel (approx. $387 million Canadian) for damage plus another 1.5 billion shekel for various northern projects.   The Jewish Agency will be raising $300 million U.S.

Q.    What will that money allow the Jewish Agency to do?
A.     Among the other projects that require funding, Toronto’s donations will allow us to provide scholarships for college students who could not work during the war to earn their tuition. We’ll be able to offer up to 50% of the cost of schooling.

To contribute to UJA Federation’s Israel Emergency Campaign, call 416.631.5705 or visit www.ujadonations.com