July 20, 2006- NEW YORK - In response to the current crisis, the Union for Reform Judaism has established the 2006 Israel Emergency Fund to provide assistance and support to Israelis affected by the unprovoked attacks on Israel's Northern border.
"The Reform Movement has a long history of supporting Israel, and this crisis is no exception," said Rabbi Marla Feldman, director of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. "While we pray for a quick resolution to this crisis, we know that there will be long-term needs in the community. Through our 2006 Israel Emergency Relief Fund we will strive to meet those needs."
While the Union will monitor the situation and determine whether additional services need to be supported, the initial intention is for the 2006 Israel
Emergency Fund to:
• Help the United Jewish Communities/Jewish Agency for Israel send Israeli children in Northern communities to youth villages in the central region.
• Assist Magen David Adom in providing emergency medical treatment to those wounded by terrorist bombings.
• Provide funds to Israeli Reform synagogues to provide necessary services to the general population in their communities, particularly in the
northern part of Israel.
As with all Union emergency and relief funds the entire amount of all donations, less any fee charged to us by a credit card company, is allocated to appropriate agencies.
In addition to donating to the fund, the Union is urging congregations and its members to attend rallies, contact their local officials, and write letters to the editors of their local papers. Information about this and other suggestions may be found at www.urj.org/israel.
The Reform community has a long and strong history of generosity when floods or earthquakes devastate communities, when houses of worship burn in the fires of racial prejudice, when terrorism causes havoc, and when other disasters cause untold harm to people across the planet.