ZAKA saves lives
The Jewish world continues to mobilize to support the people of Haiti following the earthquake Tuesday, Jan. 12, that virtually destroyed the capital, Port au Prince, and much of the country.
The Israeli Consulate in Philadelphia reported that
a 220-person delegation, headed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, left Thursday evening, Jan. 14, for Port-au-Prince. The relief package includes a Home Front Command field hospital and rescue unit, as well as teams from Magen David Adom and Israel Police.
A delegation of the Israel-based ZAKA International Rescue Unit, which was in Mexico assisting in the recovery efforts following the helicopter crash on Sunday, flew to the Haiti in a Mexican air force Hercules together with the Mexican official aid delegation.
The American Jewish World Service is collecting donations in response to earthquake in Haiti, which registered a 7.3 on the Richter scale. Donations to AJWS’s “Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund,” can be made at www.ajws.org/haitiearthquake.
And the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh is opening an emergency mailbox to accept donations that will provide immediate aid and relief to the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday.
All donations sent to the UJF will be forwarded to the Federation’s overseas service provider, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), who will be directly involved in relief efforts on Haiti. In addition, the UJF’s national organization, the Jewish Federations of North America, is coordinating with The Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, which brings together the experience, expertise, and additional resources of North American Jewish organizations to assist victims of natural or man-made disasters on a non-sectarian basis.
The coalition, managed by JDC, consists of organizations such as the Union for Reform Judaism, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, World ORT, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, American Jewish World Service and American Jewish Committee, to name a few. The coalition’s work maximizes the resources, coordinates the activities of its member agencies, informs the public about the disaster situation and the Jewish response, and demonstrates the long tradition of Jewish humanitarianism during times of crisis.
Contributions can be made online at UJFpittsburgh.org or by sending a check, made payable to UJF/Haitian Relief Fund, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
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