After rocket fire in Israel's North, IFCJ builds new shelters

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) has funded nine new bomb shelters for Israeli citizens, which will be installed next week.

The shelters will be distributed in the North of Israel, amongst the Asher regional council and Yesod Hamaale. 

As the Jerusalem Post previously reported, the IFCJ made another large donation recently, doubling the number of shelters in Tiberius and adding 10 more in the Maale Yosef region of Western Galilee. These were the first shelters to be donated by IFCJ to the North of Israel, as the organization had focused its efforts on the South close to Gaza.Overall, the IFCJ has placed over 400 shelters around Israel at a cost of over $5m and renovated 2400 shelters at a cost of $16m.

 “Strengthening the protection of Israel and her people during emergencies is one of the main missions of the Fellowship,” said Yael Eckstein, President of IFCJ. “We are honored to contribute to the protection of Israel and her citizens and to assist security forces and first responders in creating an effective response for people in public spaces during an emergency situation. These shelters not only provide this protection but also represent the decades of support and love of our hundreds of thousands of donors around the world in making this happen.” 

“Our goal is to assist in reducing the gaps in protection all across the country,” said Safwan Marich, Director of the Safety and Emergency Response Division of IFCJ. “These new shelters were all placed in a calculated manner in coordination with Home Front Command, with the aim of providing a safe response to any future event, with the hope of course that it will not be necessary.”

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

IFCJ describes itself as “the largest and most effective ministry providing Christians with opportunities to fulfill biblical prophecy by supporting Israel and the Jewish people with lifesaving aid.”

The 40-year-old organization provides essential resources to Israel. IFCJ is thought to be Israel’s largest social assistance and is credited for helping populations in distress, supporting people through poverty, supporting the absorption of new immigrants and strengthening Israel’s defense. 

The organization has also gifted the state of Israel with four armored vehicles for cities bordering Gaza, hundreds of first-response kits for front-line communities, an emergency mobile command center in Ashkelon and numerous medical devices for hospitals across Israel.

Why the need for greater protection in the North of Israel?

36 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Northern Israel on Thursday, resulting in three Israelis being lightly injured and a number of buildings suffering damage. 

Hezbollah and Iran appear willing to take more risks in their confrontation with Israel. While neither of them may be directly responsible for the rocket attacks. 

Additionally, on Saturday three rockets were launched from Syria onto the Golan Heights. 

After the rocket fire, the head of the Golan Regional Council ordered shelters opened in towns in Golan and instructed residents to stay near shelters.