January 11, 2009 / 15 Tevet 5769

Senior North American Jewry Leaders Arrive in Israel with $10 Million Gift:   
"Despite acute financial crisis, we are here in Israel's time of need." 

Jerusalem, January 11, 2009: A delegation of 28 senior national leaders of the Jewish Federation of North America – the umbrella organization representing over 150 Jewish Federations and 400 independent Jewish communities across North America – arrived in Israel today to announce a $10 million pledge for emergency assistance to the towns and cities under attack in southern Israel. Among the JFNA National Mission members are JFNA President and CEO Howard Rieger and Joe Kanfer, Chair of the JFNA Board of Trustees. The JFNA National Mission will hold a special press conference tomorrow January 12 at 1:45 pm at the Jewish Agency Barnea Absorption Center, 209 Bar Kochva Street, Ashkelon

This significant commitment by the JFNA leaders comes at a time of considerable financial distress in the United States, and particularly in the American Jewish world, which has been hard hit by the recent Bernard Madoff fraud. “We will not be deterred by the financial crisis we are now faced with in the United States, and we will continue to stand by Israel" stated Joe Kanfer. “The emergency facing Israel today means we will redouble our efforts, reaching out to both small and large potential donors to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Israel who are in harm’s way.”

You are invited to a press conference with JFNA National Leaders

Monday, January 12, 2009
1:45 pm
at the Jewish Agency for Israel Barnea Absorption Center
209 Bar Kochva St., Ashkelon

 Tomorrow, Monday, January 12, JFNA delegation members will visit various communities in the south, including Ashkelon, Sha’ar Hanegev and Sderot.

The JFNA funding will be distributed to our main partner organizations, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency, as well as the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC), the Ethiopian National Project (ENP), and the Israel Advocacy Initiative (IAI). The support will be allocated to short-term emergency projects such as respite activities for children and youth; emergency consulting for municipalities; and Ethiopian-Israeli mediators, as well as trauma therapy for adults and children, alternative therapy services for residents in absorption centers, and urgent assistance to small businesses in the region.

Interviews can be arranged with senior JFNA leaders, including Howard Rieger, Joe Kanfer, and Rebecca Caspi, Director General, JFNA Israel.

For more information, please contact:
Elise Shazar, MindSet, 054-6677810 or Dani Wassner, UJC, 052-6130799