IFCJ takes extraordinary measures to help Israel fight coronavirus

Published: MAY 1, 2020 16:56

The Fellowship has contacted thousands of seniors in order to map the urgent needs and is coordinating a network of assistance in joint ventures with other aid organizations operating at national and local levels. (photo credit: ARIK SHRAGA) — The Fellowship has contacted thousands of seniors in order to map the urgent needs and is coordinating a network of assistance in joint ventures with other aid organizations operating at national and local levels.

(photo credit: ARIK SHRAGA)

The current crisis has forced American Jewish organizations to focus tremendous additional resources on the severe and growing needs facing their communities and their vital networks of institutions.

Israel is dealing with an emergency like it has never known, and Christians and Jews are coming together, taking extraordinary measures to help extraordinary people here in Israel. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) is playing a critical role in Israel’s fight against the pandemic, with all of their human, programmatic, and funding resources invested solely on the people of Israel.

The current crisis has forced American Jewish organizations to focus tremendous additional resources on the severe and growing needs facing their communities and their vital networks of institutions. But building a global partnership between Christians and Jews, particularly when it comes to supporting Israel, was always part of the founding vision of The Fellowship.

Times like these make that partnership more vital than ever, and this is why The Fellowship is privileged to share in the critical efforts supporting the vulnerable in Israel during these challenging times. In response to the extreme threat posed by the virus, The Fellowship has created a $5 million emergency fund to support elderly Israelis, including Holocaust survivors, and supply over 15 hospitals with desperately needed medical resources, including respirators and other equipment.

The Fellowship is uniquely positioned to offer immediate emergency assistance through its With Dignity and Fellowship program, which serves 15,000 of Israel’s elderly population with food and basic needs. With this emergency fund, the organization is committing to help an additional 15,000 elderly aged 75 and above with packages of food, hand sanitizer, and other essential items. This aid is being distributed in partnership with Latet, another leading Israeli nonprofit aid organization.

Yael Eckstein, president and CEO of The Fellowship, noted the organization’s longstanding commitment to social welfare causes in Israel – particularly its commitment to helping the elderly in need – and the well-established infrastructure that allows it to deliver aid in these challenging times. “Even during normal circumstances, we are on the ground every day in Israel helping the elderly who are struggling to survive, but these are extraordinary times that call for extraordinary measures.” she said.

“Thankfully, we have the experience, the relationships with Israeli governmental agencies and aid organizations, and the dedicated staff and network of volunteers that allow us to respond quickly and effectively to crises.”

“In this emergency situation we mustn’t forget the most vulnerable. What a tragedy it would be for someone to survive the Holocaust only to die of this virus,“ she added. Indeed, the situation is particularly hard on Holocaust survivors, who lived through a terrible time in history only to find themselves hungry, alone, and afraid in their twilight years, victims of an unprecedented crisis.

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The needs of the elderly are both physical and emotional. Many depend on daily visits to Fellowship-funded elderly clubs not just for a hot meal, but for an opportunity to talk and share companionship with others. The coronavirus “lockdown” has left them isolated, without this critical network of social support.

The Fellowship has contacted thousands of seniors in order to map the urgent needs and is coordinating a network of assistance in joint ventures with other aid organizations operating at national and local levels. The Fellowship is committed to contacting all 15,000 elderly it works with, and staff are confident they will accomplish it before Pesach because of the extensive network of volunteers, including youth organizations, with whom they routinely work.

In addition to lifesaving help for the elderly, The Fellowship’s emergency fund provides vital equipment for hospitals and emergency teams struggling to manage the scale of patient needs. The organization is also working to improve the rate of virus testing and reduce the burden on hospitals. $2 million of the fund will be given in special grants to 15 hospitals for respiratory equipment and other lifesaving machinery, including test kits, respirators, disinfectant equipment, and other emergency supplies. The equipment will be provided in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Health.

Even as this emergency work in Israel continues, 31 new Jewish olim from Brazil came to Israel on a Fellowship-sponsored aliyah flight during the last week of March. The flight was carefully coordinated to comply with myriad restrictions required to contain the spread of COVID-19.

“Our work supporting aliyah must continue,” Eckstein said. “Of course, we cannot risk the lives of anyone, and we will not, but in this case we were able to abide by every single guideline and still fulfill the dreams of these Brazilian Jews.”

The effort to bring the olim from Brazil to Israel involved booking multiple flights, most of which were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The olim had all planned their move to Israel well before the outbreak and remaining in Brazil was no longer possible for them. In cooperation with Israeli authorities, before boarding their flights every one of the olim signed an agreement to enter into quarantine upon their arrival.

With Pesach fast approaching, and the world facing a global recession due to the necessary measures taken to combat the virus, The Fellowship’s work at this time takes on special urgency. Eckstein was quick to credit The Fellowship’s supporters, many of whom are Christians in the U.S., for making this effort possible, and for their commitment to the organization’s efforts to stem the tide of the coronavirus in Israel.

“We are grateful for the support of so many around the world who allow us to respond quickly in these terrible moments,” she said. “We are indebted to our committed donors who are answering this call, even though the coronavirus poses a direct threat to them and their communities as well. And we’re especially grateful for the Jewish donors who have come alongside us to help during this crisis.

“This global partnership is more vital than ever, and it’s the embodiment of The Fellowship’s core bridge-building mission with everyone taking extraordinary measures to help extraordinary people here in Israel. Truly, we are so much stronger together.”