EVP Association (Emergency Volunteers Project)

The corona virus has not bypassed Israel. Israel is not immune from natural disasters but fortunately, the strength of our country is in its people.

Adi Zahavi, Director of the EVP Association (Emergency Volunteers Project ) is someone who describes himself as “ready for any scenario.” He founded the project in order to be prepared for emergency situations in Israel and use volunteers from Israel and abroad who would act to help residents on the home front with any task they were given. These volunteers include professionals, fire fighters and rescuers, who have been trained by the association to work in the Israeli “climate.”

The project was set up to become prepared in the event of an earthquake or war – but then…the corona virus showed up.

Let’s go back two months, when the whole world (except for China) was still in routine mode. It feels like an eternity since then.

Adi decides to set up a mobile kitchen that could help distribute food during emergencies. The process is long and difficult. It’s easy to set up a kitchen– the real challenge is to turn it into something operational with a strong enough generator that can keep the mobile appliances working if needed.

The Dallas Texas Federation, with the help of the Jewish Agency’s Dallas-Western Galilee Partnership, helped make this dream a reality.  The Federation’s donation gave the final touch to the project and the kitchen got off the ground! Although the plan was to store the kitchen for an emergency, the moment of truth arrived just two weeks later, when the virus spread in the country and the guidelines for closure become more stringent with every passing day.

The streets are nearly empty, all businesses except for food and pharmacies have closed, and people are not allowed to go out more than 100 meters from their homes. Those most affected are also those who are at the highest risk from the epidemic – senior citizens.

EVP was established exactly for this purpose – to be there for whoever needs assistance during an emergency. And now is the time to act!

The Association’s volunteers are currently using the mobile kitchen, which is taking hot meals directly to the homes of those in need.  Every day the volunteers are going out, at risk to themselves and their families.  Since all of the volunteers who were supposed to come from abroad could not arrive, the volunteers in Israel  are working more quickly and much harder. But they are working towards a goal with tremendous dedication and they don’t rest for a minute. The volunteers come from every corner of the country, with remarkable determination to assist the project. They have left their children and their families, and are focused on the mission and the people who need their help.

The mobile kitchen is located in the Western Galilee and its importance is extraordinary. The geographical distance between localities makes it impossible to set up a permanent kitchen and logistically distribute to each locality separately during an emergency. Because the mobile kitchen can move from place to place, this makes the process more efficient and ensures that the food stays fresh. Every day 3000 meals come out of the kitchen, only made possible thanks to the donations.

The partnership between the Dallas Texas Jewish community and residents of the Western Galilee has accompanied dozens of projects over the years, projects intended to help the population in the Western Galilee, Israel’s must special region comprised of five religions and a variety of different population groups. We are all grateful for the assistance and know that together we will overcome this situation as well. We will overcome thanks to people who give of themselves for others, and thanks to people who are given an opportunity to help and to be heroes to us all.