2009 Global Symposium Panel on JDC's Response in War and Crisis - Gideon Herscher

During the JDC Ambassadors Circle Global Symposium on May 19, 2009, JDC presented a panel on how the organization responds during times of war and crisis. In this video, Gideon Herscher, Director of Field Relations discusses JDC's response in Israel's southern conflict region on the border with Gaza during Operation Cast Lead in January, 2009. (For the pictures referred to in Gideon's presentation, look below.)



Or you can watch the video on our YouTube page at this LINK

Map of the Southern Conflict Region
(Click on map to enlarge)

Building damaged by a kassam rocket

Damage caused by the kassam in an apartment of the building.

The clock stopped at the exact time the kassam hit.

Yossi, who lives in that apartment hid in the bathtub when the kassam hit because he could not get into a shelter in time. Here he participates in a pet therapy session.

Art therapy drawing done by Yossi. In the picture, is the word, 'Pachad', or fear in Hebrew. Yossi also drew a kassam falling on a person and house with no door, a very telling picture of Yossi's own feelings.

In this art therapy drawing is written the word 'Ka'as' or anger in Hebrew.

Hibuki Dolls Making a Difference for Children Living in Ashkelon

In Israel JDC works to create innovative programs that help the country’s most vulnerable citizens in coping with their daily lives, as well as to provide support in times of crisis or trauma. In the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s military operation in Gaza in January 2009, JDC’s impact can be felt in its trauma relief programs designed to aid children living under fire, including Hibuki, (Hebrew for Huggy doll) Trauma Intervention. These emergency response programs are possible due to the support of our federation partners across the United States.

The barrage of Kassam rocket attacks over Ashkelon and southern Israel struck the physical, emotional and economic chords of the region, causing long-term damage to the most vulnerable populations. While the region is no longer in survival mode, the war-related trauma symptoms are now surfacing with great speed amongst the region's elderly, children, economically weak and disabled residents.

Thanks to the ongoing assistance provided by JDC’s proven emergency programs in Ashkelon, and in partnership with The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, these residents have come to rely on JDC’s expertise in child trauma relief, emergency management, community building and economic development as they recover.

As part of the Children’s Trauma Relief program, JDC introduced its Huggy Doll Trauma Intervention in Ashkelon. Known as ‘Hibuki’ in Hebrew, this entirely original intervention was created for children from Northern Israel who were in desperate need of therapeutic assistance, having been traumatized from the ongoing rocket attacks coming from Southern Lebanon. Once proven as an effective model, it was then introduced into the Southern conflict region to help yet more Israeli children suffering the outcomes of warfare.

The secret to the program's success is that it alleviates children's trauma and anxiety by transferring the therapeutic responsibility to children themselves. Using a Huggy Doll – a stuffed animal with Velcro strips on its long arms, which can 'hug' the child in various ways – as a focus, it employs self-help methods which empower children and reduce their feelings of helplessness.

(Photo from Focus on Ashekelon)

To see more photos, click on the picture above to visit FOCUS ON ASHKELON, a blog highlighting the The Ashkelon-Baltimore Partnership in Israel.

JDC in Southern Israel Following the Conflict in Gaza

UPDATE FROM JERUSALEM

A briefing from Arnon Mantver, Director of JDC-Israel

Shalom all,

Lessons from the War
Last week the senior staff of JDC-Israel and I traveled to Ashdod to learn how a city of 230,000 residents coped with its sudden inclusion into the group of cities under missile attack. We met with Dr. Yechiel Lasri, who was voted in as the new Mayor in early November. He gave us the following background on how the city was able to prepare and cope with the crisis:

• Military intelligence had informed the city officials over two years ago that Hamas had missile reach to Ashdod.


• As Ashdod is a fairly new city, 70% of homes and apartments do have protected rooms. For the other 30%, the city invested in the private and public shelters.
  
• Emergency instructions were prepared in Hebrew, Russian, French, Amharic and English, as Ashdod has the largest concentration of immigrants of any city in the country.
  
• Volunteers visited 20,000 homes in the week leading up to the war to personally explain the emergency procedures, which resulted in saving the life of a family whose apartment took a direct hit while they had run for cover to the stairwell.


• Emergency drills were carried out with cooperation of police, Magen David Adom, and Homeland Security.
  
• A 24 hour trauma hotline was opened with more than 500 calls a day, even following the ceasefire.


• 22 missiles fell on the city – half in populated areas, half on the outskirts. One woman was killed. Two people were wounded badly; ten were wounded lightly.

The Mayor felt that the level of preparedness of the city enabled residents to bear up under the crisis, and praised the excellent coordination with national government and JDC's efforts to care for the elderly and disabled. Unfortunately – and perhaps realistically – the Mayor is already planning for the next spate of attacks. He is trying to secure protection for all kindergartens and schools so that pupils can continue to learn during the next crisis.

Bedouin Children Get a Boost

I was very pleased that Charles Ribakoff, newly appointed Chair of the Sub-Committee for Ashalim, the Association for Planning and Development of Services for Children and Youth at Risk, joined us for the day. On our way to Ashdod we stopped in Lakiya, a Bedouin town near Beersheva, and visited the Echad program to promote early childhood education, which is supported by the San Francisco Federation. Bedouin mothers – many of whom had no say in choosing their husbands or pursuing higher education – are being taught to use the computer to stimulate their children's education and are being encouraged to send their children to enriching pre-school frameworks. We cannot ignore demographic trends. The impact on the next generation of Bedouins – which comprises 25% of the Negev's population -- is invaluable.

"Kosher" Jobs

This week JDC sponsored the first ever international conference on "Haredim in the World of Work". Professionals who work to integrate Haredi men and women into the workforce came from the U.S., Britain and Canada to share ideas and experience. Out of respect to the participants, the Conference was held in compliance with Haredi norms, including separate seating for men and women during the presentations.

In Israel, approximately 650,000 people are ultra-orthodox – six and half times the number of Ethiopians or Druze. Almost half of all Haredi families live under the poverty line, primarily because the parents do not work. JDC has been involved in developing appropriate work opportunities for this population for over a decade and since the establishment of TEVET, has provide employment and training for thousands of men and women. As in the case of the Bedouins, JDC's employment programs will have a major impact on the next – and growing – generation of Haredim.

Shalom from Jerusalem,
Arnon

Update from Jerusalem

From Arnon Mantver, Director of JDC-Israel

Shalom all,

While you are celebrating the inauguration of your 44th President, we are (cautiously) celebrating a ceasefire. News photos of soldiers leaving Gaza, many of them for the first time in 15 days, are encouraging. Yet the arrangement is fragile. We hope the missile fire is over for good but must be prepared for any eventuality.

Back to School
Perhaps the strongest sign of normalization is the re-opening of schools in the South. As children return to the classrooms, school staff will likely discover a range of fears, emotional issues and trauma which need to be addressed.

Last year JDC introduced a program in Ashdod which trained the city's educational leadership to do just that. Two clinical psychologists have trained teachers and guidance counselors to identify stress and have given them a toolbox of programs to reduce the stress. Now, schoolchildren in 20 elementary schools throughout Ashdod will have the help they need from day one back at their desks. A similar program in Ashkelon certified 18 senior educational professionals as specialists in dealing with children-at-risk and trauma issues. The "Havens of Calm" and "Chibuki" programs will also be continued and expanded.

Moving at the Speed of Crisis
In a previous email I detailed two new JDC-Israel programs which were designed for the current crisis: "To 120" and Virtual Marketing for Sderot small businesses. I'm pleased to provide the following update:

"To 120": In the two weeks since the war began-- in conjunction with the Ministry of Welfare-- we have hired and trained 125 community workers in the cities within missile range. Each of these workers has already been in touch with 120 elderly and/or disabled individuals, ensuring that they get adequate food and appropriate medicines, home repairs if required, and any other type of assistance they may need. This means that 15,000 vulnerable people have a personal helpline during this ongoing crisis.

Businesses: 50 small business owners from Sderot are already receiving mentorship to help them establish an online presence for their businesses which will enable them to reach out to customers outside the region. The first websites should be operational within a month.

Give and Take
JDC-Israel is in the business of helping vulnerable populations. But some of these populations are capable of giving back as well. When JDC-Israel became a partner in establishing a network of over 30 centers to help young adults -- primarily immigrants -- we demanded that the young adults being helped also volunteer in their neighborhoods and assume leadership roles in their communities.

These young adults, who receive assistance in accessing higher education, finding jobs and integrating into Israeli society, exceeded all our expectations during the recent crisis. Young adults from Centers in Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Kiryat Gat, Netivot and Sderot have been making shelters usable, helping parents of disabled children, staffing municipal hotlines, running activities for children in shelters, bringing food and medicines to elderly in shelters and much more.

Yesterday, the senior staff of JDC-Israel went to Ashdod for a day of meetings and site visits to a large city which faced a new and difficult reality of missile fire during this war. I'm very pleased that Charles Ribakoff, newly appointed Chair of Ashalim sub-committee, joined us. Watch for my next update for details and photos.

Hoping for a real, lasting cease-fire,
Arnon

JDC: A Lifeline In Times of Crisis

This report from a member of JDC-Israel's senior staff is a firsthand account of how JDC is working to create a lifeline to those most affected by the war in Gaza.
I remember the first time I went south during the war last week – admittedly I felt a little fearful. Three trips and two sirens later, my mind was more focused and my stomach less jittery.

We visited the JDC Havens of Calm program situated in an elementary school in Sderot. This is literally a dedicated room in the school itself that has been fitted and designated as a safe and therapeutic space in which students can freely enter and openly express their fears and worries as they receive trauma support. I met with the art therapist, the principal and the pet therapist that have been working in this haven of calm for the last 4 years. The are experiencing increased levels of behavioral and social problems, disturbances in class and trauma amongst the kids because of the rockets that land around them on a daily basis.

One girl who receives treatment in the room is extremely 'lucky' after a qassam landed right next to her house. Now she has regular episodes where she is unable to move her legs. The therapists go up to the class, massage her legs to restore partial movement and bring her to the Haven of Calm where she works with the animals or just sits and listens to music in the corner. She told the therapist "I don’t want this body anymore".

I also visited Beer Sheva, where unlike Sderot who have been rocketed for 8 years, they are relatively new to these traumatic experiences. The JDC Center for Independent Living (CIL) is a facility that identifies the need for and provides community-based services for people with disabilities. The CIL empowers its clients to live as independent a life as possible within their communities.

On December 27th, the CIL ceased all regular services and "turned on a dime" to become the emergency center for the disabled population in Beer Sheva. Student volunteers from the neighboring Ben Gurion University immediately called 750 CIL clients to check their status and needs. These volunteers have now been mobilized by CIL to deliver shopping, medicines and blankets. I have mentioned in previous updates the impossibility for the elderly and disabled to reach safe rooms before the rockets land and these volunteers were converting safe rooms into 24/7 living rooms for disabled clients by moving food, water bottles, beds and TV's into the bomb shelters.

Roi, a volunteer student for CIL, is a 25 year old psychology and philosophy student. He took me to the home of Mazal who is 53 years old and totally bedridden. Mazal has no bomb shelter or protected room so our task was to make one of the rooms as 'safe' as possible and equip the room with every necessity she might need. Her son is mentally disabled and visits her regularly but was unable to set up the room appropriately. It is incredibly depressing thinking of Mazal living through siren after siren but at least her son is able to be with her – unlike many others who have no-one.

When I asked why Roi stays in Beer Sheva and doesn't return to his home town of Acco he told me "In the summer of 2006, my home town was rocketed from the North and we were so reliant on the volunteers who came to help us from around the country. How can I leave now and not give back what I received?"

Despite the gloom, every cloud does have its silver lining. I have witnessed amazing things and inspirational people arise from this emergency. Whether it be new services, creative partnerships, additional duties, fresh character or advanced strategic thinking all lying latent that have been brought to the surface by this war. I live in hope that some good will come out of this terribly dark time.

ISRAEL CRISIS UPDATE

Update from Irv Smokler, JDC President and Steve Schwager, Executive Vice President:

January 16, 2009

The current situation in the Gaza border region and beyond underscores for us how critical JDC’s partnership is to the citizens of Israel, especially when they are under fire. Thousands of elderly, children and youth at risk, vulnerable immigrants, and people with disabilities throughout the southern conflict zone continue to benefit from JDC programs that were in place well before the crisis, as well as expanded services currently being implemented to address new urgent needs.

We share with you below a personal report written by Judy Amit, JDC’s Chief Operating Officer, during her trip to Israel this past week:

The feeling in Israel today is very different than it was during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. First and foremost, there is a feeling that the Government is in control, that responses and services are better coordinated than in the past, and that residents in the south are receiving better care than was immediately available a couple of years ago.

But that’s not to say that all is well. Since 2001 more than 10,000 rockets have been launched into civilian populations in southern Israel, more than 7,000 falling on Sderot alone. The day-to-day fear of living under rocket fire has been tremendous, taking its toll on both children and adults. It is a situation that is unfathomable if you have not personally experienced it. Today this rocket fire has spread to a 25-mile radius and includes Ashdod, Ashkelon, Be’er Sheva, Netivot, and many additional settlements in the south, impacting close to 1 million Israeli citizens.

JDC Participates in UJC Leadership Solidarity Mission to Southern Israel
Yesterday I had the opportunity to participate in the UJC Leadership Solidarity Mission to Ashkelon and Sderot. Prior to leaving Tel Aviv, we received security instructions as to what to do if there was a Red Color alert siren: when driving within the 25-mile rocket range we were not to use seat belts, which would hamper our getting out of the car quickly. These instructions were a true reality check.

During a JDC briefing in Ashkelon, we got a small glimpse of the uncertainty of life in the conflict zone: the Red Color alert siren sounded and we had 45 seconds to evacuate the room and walk down two flights of stairs to safety in a bottom stairwell made of reinforced concrete. We managed with relative ease, but imagine a child, an elderly individual, or a disabled person having to take cover in this time.

Sderot residents have a mere 15 seconds to find a safe place, either in a bomb shelter or behind a concrete wall. You can read about this, you can see pictures or watch it on TV…but unless you experience these critical moments firsthand, you have no idea what it feels like. It was a sobering experience.

Help is Just a Call Away for Members of JDC’s Supportive Community in Ashkelon
At the Supportive Community for the Elderly in Ashkelon, where 700 seniors are able to live independently at home because of the many services and the personal care they receive from a JDC-trained “Community Parent.” I asked a couple in their late 70s what they did when they heard the Red Color alert siren the day before. “We just went into the bedroom [a room with only one window; they don’t have a wall of reinforced concrete], sat down on the bed with a blanket over our heads, and waited”—until they heard the bomb exploding near by.

We visited the home of Ovadia—an elderly gentleman who is partially blind, hearing impaired, and has very restricted mobility. A Grad missile had landed close enough to Ovadia’s home to blow the garden doors off of their hinges and Peter, his “Community Parent,” repaired the door for him. When asked what he does when the siren sounds, Ovadia responded, “What can I do? I sit in my chair and pray!” Ovadia described his “Community Parent” as “my security, SOMEONE to rely on, a person who cares about us, and a friend to cry with.”

But what about the elderly and disabled who are not part of the Supportive Community and don’t have a Community Parent to rely on?

That personal care—the “SOMEONE for those who do not have anyone”—is exactly the premise of 120 Strong, an initiative of the Israeli government in partnership with JDC that is assigning caseworkers to each and every elderly or disabled resident within the 25-mile fire zone.

Commitment and Concern in Sderot
In Sderot I visited a school where JDC operates “Havens of Calm,” one of a series of trauma relief programs that JDC has been implementing for children in schools and kindergartens. What impressed me most was the dedication of the principal and the therapists to try and bring some semblance of normalcy into their own personal lives and to the 180 children that they teach and treat.

The principal shared his concerns regarding the fortification of the school. “All schools in Sderot have been reinforced to withstand the rocket fire of ‘Kassamim’ but not the fire of the ‘Grad’ missiles,” he explained, which are a more sophisticated rocket with a greater range. If Grad missiles fall on Sderot, the principal will have to close the top floor of the school.

I left the south of Israel in the late afternoon in a local Sderot cab heading for Tel Aviv, and once again I was given instructions what to do if there was an alert. As we drove out of rocket range from Gaza, I felt the tension leaving my body—but I could not forget the people that I had left behind.

We were very moved by Judy’s report and grateful that because of our history and expertise in Israel, we can immediately and effectively implement programs and strategies when the need arises.

JDC Supports Sderot Residents During Gaza Crisis

TZEVA ADOM - CODE RED SIREN: Drawings by the Children of Sderot and JDC's Response to Trauma

A recent study shows that one in three children living in Sderot suffers from post traumatic stress:

From Haaretz.com:
January 17, 2008
by Mijal Grinberg and Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondents

Between 75 and 94 percent of Sderot children aged 4-18 exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress, says Natal, the Israel Center for the Victims of Terror and War.

Natal's study, set to be released in the coming days, was based on a representative sample. The study found 28 percent of adults and 30 percent of children in Sderot have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study was conducted by Dr. Rony Berger, Director of Natal's Community Services Department, and Dr. Marc Gelkopf, with the assistance of pollster Dr. Mina Tzemach.

The town of Sderot and the Western Negev as a whole have been subject to a barrage of rockets launched by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip for over seven years.

Code Red Drawings by Sderot Children
When asked to talk about their feelings due to the violent Kassam rocket attacks perpetuated on their town every day, the children of Sderot displayed enormous emotional stress through their words and drawings.

By Noga in 5th Grade

When there is Code Red I feel helpless
because I know I don’t have many options
to be saved. Our three story house is made
of plaster and I live on the 3rd floor.
When I hear the alert, my heart drops to
the floor.

“Kids are under such stress that in some instances they cannot envision themselves within this horrific reality” - Tali, Therapist

JDC Working to Help the Children Living with Trauma
With the generous support of Jewish Community Federations across North America and UJC Israel Emergency Campaign, JDC is helping the children of Sderot and its surrounding communities with several responses:

Chibuki (Huggy Puppy)
Young children become "mini-counselors" to a huggy puppy, allowing them to express all their own fears and anxieties by acting as if the feelings belong to the puppy. By caring for their huggy puppy, kids transfer their fears to Chibuki and are better able to cope with their anxieties.

The Chibuki program was originally developed by a team of psychologists during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 then replicated in Sderot. The program will be expanded/re-activated in all kindergartens in Ashkelon, Sderot and the surrounding area as soon as schools are re-opened.

Havens of Calm
Special rooms in schools, called Havens of Calm, are set aside as a place for children to safely express their fears and anxieties about the situation. Children are able to come to these rooms during the school day, either individually or with their entire class as a 'field trip', and work with therapists in coping with life under the threat of missiles.

Code Red Song
(for more information and lyrics, please click on the link)
At the sound of the Code Red siren, children were becoming hysterical. Often times, they were paralyzed with fear and unable to run for shelter. JDC, working with teachers in Sderot, developed the Code Red Song to not only teach the children what to do when the alarm is sounded, but to make them feel comfortable with the fear and anxiety the alarm provokes within them.

JDC distributed cds of this uplifting children’s song to parents and teachers. Currently, the song is taught to school children and has quickly become a source of comfort for them.



JDC’s programs are supported primarily by contributions to the annual campaigns of the Jewish Community Federations throughout North America in partnership with United Jewish Communities (UJC)

JDC-ISRAEL: Update from Jerusalem

From Arnon Mantver, Director of JDC-Israel:
The Gaza War

Shalom all,
Yesterday an officer from the paratroopers was wounded very badly. He got married two days before he was called to fight in Gaza. This underscores the three "circles" of people who are really hurting in this war: the soldiers themselves; the parents, wives, siblings of the soldiers; and the residents living down south. We are praying for the first two groups and continue to work with our partners to bring comfort and care to the last group.

Easing the Trauma of the Children
The Chibuki program was devised during the Second Lebanon War to alleviate stress among pre-schoolers and was later replicated to Sderot and the surrounding areas. The young children become "mini-counselors" to a huggy puppy, allowing them to express all their own fears and anxieties by acting as if the feelings belong to the puppy.

We have re-activated the program for about 120 children who are currently attending pre-school in protected buildings or shelters. One of the psychologists which works with the program reported that the "graduates" of Chibuki jumped right into the play-therapy, explaining how they had been sleeping with Chibuki to keep him calm, had taught him to go toward a protected area when the "red alert" is sounded.

Those who received their first Chibuki took time to get to know him and to listen to his worries and fears. In one of the kindergartens, the teacher took the children and Chibuki on a virtual tour of the neighborhood, stopping at each child's home. The program will be expanded/re-activated in all kindergartens in Ashkelon, Sderot and the surrounding area as soon as school resumes and with the generous assistance of the UJC.

Corporate Philanthropy Leverages Youth Volunteerism
IDB, Israel's largest holding company, also boasts one of Israel's most active corporate Foundations. JDC works hand in hand with the Foundation on a number of key programs in the community, and also works to promote corporate philanthropy throughout Israel via Matan, Israel's version of United Way.

Supersol, Israel's biggest supermarket chain which is owned by IDB, launched an initiative which allows Israeli consumers to purchase a variety items at half-price and to have them packaged and sent to an Israeli soldier directly from their local supermarket branch. IDB asked JDC to activate AMEN youth volunteers to pack the boxes, address them and include personal letters from the sender. Because AMEN exists in 45 locations and includes more than 50,000 teenagers, it was easy to mobilize them quickly and efficiently for this program. More than 500 volunteers are in 40 Supersol branches getting the packages out to soldiers serving in Gaza and the number grows each day.

Other AMEN volunteers are providing activities for children in shelters, hosting children and youth from the south in communities in the Center and North of the country, collecting donations to create activity kits for children in shelters and providing warm clothing for soldiers.

The Federation Response
A group of Federation leaders was here in Israel on a solidarity mission this week under the auspices of UJC. Yesterday they visited JDC's Supportive Community for the Elderly in Ashkelon to see how this program – which was established long before anyone envisioned missiles hitting the city -- is helping elderly who live in their own homes to cope with the current crisis.

John Ruskay reported experiencing a "Red Alert" during the visit as follows:
"We were listening to our colleague, Dr. Yitzhak Brick, director of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s (JDC) programs in Israel for the elderly, explain how JDC has expanded its services, in partnership and at the request of Israel’s government, to serve the elderly during the war in Gaza. As Dr. Brick outlined JDC’s efforts to contact and identify the needs of every elderly or disabled Israeli person in Ashkelon and the other 25 cities and communities in the south, the sirens began. We immediately and quickly left the room and scurried down the stairs to protected areas in the basement. As we waited three minutes for the "all clear," a JDC staffer asked us to imagine what this must feel like for the elderly and disabled who can't leave rooms quickly — who can't get down those stairs."

It's very encouraging to us that the Federation leadership comes to Israel to experience and understand the situation here and how difficult it is for the most vulnerable populations which the Federations help via JDC. We are also extremely encouraged by UJC's $10M campaign for the South, a portion of which will enable us to expand the Supportive Community program to another 25,000 elderly in towns under attack.

Wishing for an effective resolution of the crisis and the speedy return of all IDF soldiers,
Arnon

JDC Staff Help Ethiopian-Israeli Families Cope During Escalated Attacks

It had never occurred to Batsheva Tamano, director of JDC’s Atzmaut program in Sderot, that her work helping Ethiopian-Israeli families gain self-sufficiency would one day help her own family.

It became clear a few days ago, when, on her way out the door of her Be’er Sheva home to work, a siren went off signaling a grad missile attack, forcing Batsheva to detour to her family’s shelter. Waiting for the attack to end, she found herself using breathing techniques from trauma relief workshops she had herself arranged for Atzmaut participants, for whom life with these types of attacks is routine.

Now Batsheva is experiencing firsthand the trauma to the families whom she serves.

“Last night, as we were descending into the shelter, my son asked me a barrage of questions, ‘Why can’t I go to kindergarten? Are they going to kill us? Why do we need to go the shelter? Is our house weak? Will the shelter stop us from dying?’ shared Batsheva. “It broke my heart. I just tried to explain calmly that the shelter was more protected.”

But these trying times have only reinforced Batsheva’s commitment to empowering her Ethiopian-Israeli community. “It’s not easy when you are worrying about your family, but it gives me strength to know that I have to help those who need it more than I do,” she said.

Batsheva was particularly eager to get to work that morning: In addition to doing the regular check-in with program participants, most of whom had spent the last five days in the crowded local public shelter, she was seeing off 20 Ethiopian-Israeli families (54 people) for a respite trip to Eilat, arranged by the municipality.

Developed by JDC to aid the absorption process in Israeli cities with smaller Ethiopian-Israeli populations, Atzmaut works with families as a unit, preparing parents for employment, bridging parent-child communication gaps, and boosting children’s academic achievements. Atzmaut, which has been operating in Sderot for four years thanks to Israel Emergency Campaign funds from the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, is seen by the municipality as a central address for coordinating the needs of the city’s Ethiopian-Israeli community, and they contacted Batsheva the day before to organize a list of suitable families to participate in the excursion.

Preparing families for respites is just one of the support services that Batsheva and her staff have been providing to Ethiopian-Israeli families in Sderot since the attacks escalated. They have been working on rotation to look after children so that parents can go to work; arranging activities in shelters; connecting them to opportunities to leave the city for safe excursions; and working diligently to find an Amharic-speaking psychologist to help the adults in the community (children are receiving psychological support through the local trauma center).

“The rather chaotic atmosphere in the public shelters can be difficult for some of the adults to deal with,” Batsheva explained. “Although it’s safer for them to be there, some of the elders need quiet to deal with their worries so they just get up and leave even though they are not protected in their houses,” she added.

The following encounter from Batsheva on the morning described illustrates a common scenario in working with Ethiopian-Israeli communities living under fire:

“Before I went to the office that morning I visited the neighborhood’s public shelter. It was quite empty as most of the children and their parents had gone on a day trip to Jerusalem. A couple of women were still lying down. They were alone with a few young children.

I asked them where their husbands were. One said that her husband had gone to work but the other explained, with tension in her voice, that her husband David had dropped her and her children off and had gone home alone. She shared that she was worried about him as their home wasn’t protected.

As their home was on the way to my office I went into see David, a man in his 40s. I found him just sitting around. He had clearly returned home so he could deal with the situation in his own way. When I asked him what he was doing there since his family was in the shelter, he responded ‘I’m fine, what could happen’?

I couldn’t leave it like that. I said, ‘Don’t you realize you’re a role model for your family? Your home isn’t protected. Why aren’t you with them? What would you say if your children wanted to join you? If you are scared, share that with them, so they know its ok to be afraid, but you’re in this together’.

He smiled weakly at me. It was clear that he understood me but wasn’t ready to talk. We arranged to speak later…”

Batsheva’s work with people like David and his family is critical during crises such as this. Vulnerable in the best of times, Ethiopian-Israelis and other immigrants living in and around the conflict zone need the extra support JDC provides to cope during emergencies.

ISRAEL CRISIS UPDATE

An update from Irv Smokler, President and Steve Schwager, Executive Vice President


DATE: JANUARY 9, 2009
We all know that JDC’s role in Israel is to help the society care for the needs of its most vulnerable citizens. That mission, while powerful, may at times sound vague until you meet any of the thousands of Ethiopian-Israeli kindergartners who, thanks to PACT, now read on the same level as their veteran-Israeli peers; or you meet an elderly resident of the more than 200 Supportive Communities – a system that enables seniors to live in their homes rather than in institutions.

But our greatest pleasure is to witness what we believe truly epitomizes our mission to improve and enrich Israeli society. People who are traditionally the most vulnerable populations clearly have been strengthened by JDC’s ongoing support and are now ”stepping up to the plate” to help ease the burden on their fellow citizens during Israel’s current crisis. We share with you one of the many stories of local heroes who make us very proud.

Yossi, a 27-year-old software engineering student and active participant of one of our Centers for Young Adults, was one of the many young adults recruited to help in Ashdod via a text message from Center staff at the start of the crisis.

Last week, Yossi spent over eight hours a day engaging children in activities in one of Ashdod's poorest neighborhoods. These children often come from large, poor families. Schools are closed. Without young adults like Yossi running programs in the local bomb shelter, these children would be on the streets—both in immediate physical danger and at risk of longer-term emotional peril.

At the end of the day, the children pull on Yossi’s sleeves, beg him to stay for just a few more minutes, and make him promise to come the next day. Center staff report how children immediately connect to Yossi; he radiates warmth and is able to motivate them to participate in activities while also allaying many of their fears.

An Ashdod native himself, this young adult sees his work in this neighborhood as a mission. Yossi is now the team leader of the volunteers working in four underprivileged neighborhoods. "I believe that at this time everyone must do their best to help,” he said.

In Be’er Sheva, where the Center’s regular activities are on standby, members of the staff have redefined their responsibilities. For example, Rostik, the New Immigrants Coordinator, joined the municipality's efforts to check the condition of the city's shelters and report problems accordingly.

Michal, the Center’s social worker, offered assistance in a more personal way. She knew that a small group of senior citizens who live in her neighborhood had not left their shelter in more than three days. Although most residents enter shelters only when they hear the sirens, these seniors were afraid that they lived too far away to reach safety in time, so they opted to remain in the shelter indefinitely, even through days when no siren was sounded.

When Michal entered the shelter, she found these “permanent” residents in a state of severe anxiety. Some of them were actually reliving their trauma from previous terrorist attacks. As a young professional more accustomed to working with immigrant young adults, 27-year-old Michal found herself applying her trauma training from university to give them therapeutic “first aid.” Additionally, she followed up by contacting the Be’er Sheva municipality to ensure that these residents would receive ongoing assistance.

Such efforts by Centers in Ashdod and Be’er Sheva are being mirrored in other cities in the region, including Kiryat Gat, Netivot, and Sderot. Whether it be clearing out unused bomb shelters, providing support for children with disabilities, calming elderly residents, or staffing municipal emergency telephone hotlines, these young adults are helping the most vulnerable residents and providing hope and inspiration to many people during this difficult time.

We will continue to update you on our work during Israel’s current crisis, always with the hope that the conflict will end as quickly as possible.

Shabbat Shalom.

Donate: Help the Victims of the Conflict in Gaza and Southern Conflict Zone

By donating to JDC, you can help bring relief to those living within the Southern Conflict Zone on the Gaza border. Your contribution will help ensure that those most vulnerable receive the assistance they need, including trauma interventions for children, assistance for the elderly and disabled, and trips to provide respite for those caught in the crossfire.

To donate, please go to http://www.jdc.org/help-jdc/donate.aspx and click on the link 'Donate Now' under 'Most Urgent Jewish Need'

The Jewish value of collective responsibility, Kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh is at the heart of JDC’s work. Help JDC fulfill this important mission by showing your support today.

JDC programs are supported primarily by contributions to the annual campaigns of the Jewish Community Federations throughout North America in partnership with United Jewish Communities (UJC). JDC also receives support from World Jewish Relief, Canadian Jewry, and the United States government. Additional funding comes from both Jewish and non-Jewish individuals, charitable foundations, other governments, and international organizations.

Situation Update: Children Caught in the Crossfire

A briefing from Steven Schwager, Executive Vice President
January 5, 2009

JDC stands shoulder to shoulder with the citizens of Israel during this crisis—as we have since we started working in Eretz Yisrael 95 years ago—and will do what is needed to help the most vulnerable who remain in distress in the southern conflict zone. In this update, we offer you some insight into the experiences of the region’s youngest residents.

As schools within missile range of Gaza remain closed, children across the southern conflict zone are confined to their homes. Spending days away from their friends and the routine of everyday life, the adverse long term effect on youngsters is mounting—a major concern. The following accounts paint a picture of the intense plight of the children living under fire, and the special power of volunteer efforts to provide some reprieve from their stress.

Children: Out of School, Steeped in Fear
Merchav is an extended school day program serving 1,800 children from at-risk families in Ashkelon. With schools closed, JDC’s school-based programs serving children in the region are currently on standby. Program staff are nonetheless endeavoring to stay in touch with families, and they are hearing stories that all deliver the same message: Children are suffering from the ongoing tension.

The following story was shared by the parent of a Merchav child:

“We live in a very small apartment in Ashkelon which has no secure room or shelter. The Home Command instructs families like ours to get out of their apartment and into the stairwell of the building within 15 seconds of hearing the warning siren, and then to return home after the ‘boom.’ But this last week there have been so many rockets that the sirens have been going off constantly and my two children refuse to return to our apartment out of fear.

It is winter and very cold, and the stairwell is no place for children to stay. I got very frustrated with them, trying to convince them that they should come back to our home, but by the time they agreed, the siren went off again and we had to stay where we were.

My nine-year-old daughter cries all the time, and she understandably refuses to be in the apartment alone. I myself am very afraid to go out… I am very confused now and don’t know how much longer I can handle living this way.”

JDC recognizes that when schools reconvene, we will need to be appropriately prepared to help these children overcome and process the trauma brought about by this crisis.

JDC Volunteers: Offering a Welcome Diversion for Sderot Children
Many ongoing JDC programs, both during peacetime and in an emergency, incorporate volunteer components that empower target populations. Today, in the southern conflict zone, many such volunteers are being mobilized to provide needed assistance to local residents.

In response to a week of heavy attacks, student volunteers from JDC’s Mishol program—which promotes community solidarity in distressed areas—have opened an activity club to serve children in three Sderot neighborhoods.

The club aims to ensure that children are safe and constructively occupied during the crisis. The student volunteers sometimes spend the night in the shelters with the youngsters, under the guise of a “pajama party.”

Creative crafts and circle games like musical chairs keep children busy—but it’s not all fun and games for this crew of young adults, who need to ensure that everyone gets along in a confined space, for as many as 12 hours a day, in a time of intense fear.

Zohar and Tehilla, two volunteers from this JDC program, offer a glimpse into the experiences of their young charges:

“We were amazed to see how the children— though obviously frightened—function during this time of crisis. They can distinguish between the noise of kassam rockets and the din of explosions in Gaza, and can even identify Israel Defense Force (IDF) planes based on their sound.

“It is clear that this wartime experience is having an indelible impact on them. Today, we saw children play war games with paper airplanes, or pretend a red alert has sounded, even when all is quiet.

“We are convinced that opening the shelter-based club was important; the children were here almost non-stop from 9:00 am till 7:00 pm. The parents were grateful that the children were able to get out of the house. This reprieve enabled them to do errands or simply relax knowing that the children were safe.”

JDC’s historic infrastructure in Israel and longstanding partnership with the Government of Israel positions us to support those communities that find themselves caught in the crossfire of the southern conflict zone. We will continue to update you on JDC’s activities, always with the hope that there will be a peaceful resolution.

JDC-ISRAEL: UPDATE FROM JERUSALEM

Situation Update from Arnon Mantver, Director, JDC-Israel: The Gaza War

Shalom all,

The waiting is over; our troops are in Gaza. The Defense Minister said the war will neither be short nor easy.  We can only pray that our boys will do what needs to be done and come back safely - all of them.  The soldiers gave up their cell phones early Saturday morning (a lesson learned from the Second Lebanon War where the enemy was able to track some troop movement based on cell phone use) so the parents are left to wait and hope.  Prime Minister Olmert addressed the mothers today, "We decided to sent the boys in to protect the parents, the brothers and sisters, the neighbors they left back home.  We did not come to this decision lightly.  For many months we gave the ceasefire a chance with the hope of avoiding broad military action but our hopes were dashed."  Despite the dangers, the Army Chief of Staff reports that hundreds of soldiers, reservists and even parents of soldiers who have not been called to action are contacting him to volunteer to enter Gaza.  

Last night, the first evening of the ground incursion, was one of the quietest the Northern Negev has known for a while.  Only a small number of missiles were fired, all landing in non-populated areas.  But the respite was short.  This morning many more were fired, with potentially deadly accuracy.  Before 9:00 am, 16 rockets had been fired, one a direct hit on a home in Sderot and three on populated areas of Netivot.  

'To 120'

The residents in the Negev are still in distress and we must do what we can to relieve their suffering.  The Ministry of Welfare has asked us to partner with them in a program they initiated called 'To 120'.  The goal is to be in constant contact with every elderly and/or disabled person living in a city located within 40 km (24-25 miles) of Gaza, to assess their situation and meet their needs.  JDC is now helping the Government to recruit 150 workers who will carry out this important role.  Training and supervision will be provided as the program moves into the implementation stage.  The initiative builds upon existing JDC and Government programming in the cities, especially the supportive communities for elderly and disabled. The program will be operational for one month and extended if needed.  

The satisfaction in the implementation of this program is two-fold.  First, the national government is organized, coordinated and responsive.  Second, JDC and the Ministry created a plan and infrastructure just for this eventuality and it is now being implemented.  

The Government Leads the Third Sector

In my previous message, I updated you that the Authority for National Emergencies (known by its Hebrew acronym, 'Rachel') chose to work within the format of the Tri-Secotr Roundtables established by the Prime Minister's Office, with consultation from JDC.  'Rachel' is extremely active, under the leadership of Matan Vilnai, Deputy Minister of Defense.  Vilnai appointed a Ministry staffer to be the liaison with all the relevant NGOs.  In sharp contrast to the Second Lebanon War, the government is taking a clear lead in organizing and approving any volunteer activities in the Southern cities, and the cities, who are exhibiting stellar leadership during these trying times, are taking their cues from the national government.  Foundation representatives who participate in the Rachel Forum report that the municipalities are satisfied with the way the national government is meeting their needs.  Moreover, some of the larger foundations who approached the municipalities directly to offer aid were directed back to the Rachel Forum.  Foundations and philanthropists are now learning what JDC has long known - working hand in hand with the government has many benefits, including coordination of efforts, leverage of resources and maximum impact.  

JDC Infrastructure as Base for Emergency Activity

The two programs listed above are examples of how infrastructure programs introduced prior to the emergency and for quieter times have now become the basis for providing emergency services.  Here are two additional examples: 

Better Together is a JDC-Ashalim initiated program which takes a community-based approach to help children and youth at-risk in particularly needy neighborhoods.  Residents of Better Together neighborhoods in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are hosting families from Better Together neighborhoods in range of the missiles, providing a day of respite for several hundred children and their families since the start of the emergency.  

Youth volunteers from the JDC Amen program in Kiryat Shmona, Netanya and Modi'in are hosting families and youth from cities in the South.  AMEN youth all over the country are getting local businesses to donate games, arts and crafts materials and activity sets which they are packing up and sending to shelters in the South. 

I am currently in the US but am in contact with JDC's professional staff in Israel and my own family members and am already eager to return at the end of the week.  

Peace, security and a safe return of our soldiers.

Arnon 

Situation Update: Israel's Southern Conflict Zone

JDC At Work - January 1, 2009

Map of Conflict Region -Click on the map to enlarge

Breaking news:
The government of Israel’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services has launched, in partnership with JDC, an emergency plan for all elderly and disabled within 40 kilometers of current missile range in the South. The immediate effort will be supported in cooperation with JDC, currently planned for 3 months. The program will include:

• One fulltime caseworker for every 120 elderly and disabled. This person will be responsible for establishing daily contact, troubleshooting and problem solving all outstanding needs among this vulnerable population.
• Providing post trauma and stress relief sessions for elderly and their caregivers
• Organizing short vacations for those in conflict zone
• A welfare information hotline

Through JDC's citywide intervention programs in the town of Kiryat Gat, we are preparing emergency operations and activities for children in the event that schools will be closed for an extended period of time.

The Sderot Community Center, which caters to a large population of immigrants from Ethiopia, is now fully operational from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm every day.

Mapping of shelters: Assessing what equipment is needed, any repairs or problems, etc. and sending that information to the municipality to ensure all public shelters are ready.

Organizing groups of children to visit Kibbutz Ruchama, located east of Sderot, for “fun days” away from the stress of the conflict.

Due to the extended closing of schools in the region, JDC is helping to facilitate trips to the north of the country for hundreds of children from conflict zone.

In cooperation with the government, JDC is hiring full time case managers to assist elderly and disabled persons within the 40 km (approximately 24-25 miles) missile zone. Based on JDC’s supportive community for the elderly model, each case manager will be directly responsible for all disabled and elderly community members within a certain area of the 40 km zone. Their job will be to visit, reach out, and problem solve for all outstanding needs among these two vulnerable populations.

Outstanding Needs among Ethiopian-Israeli families in Sderot:

• Supplies for community bomb shelters (toilet paper, games for children, etc.)
• Providing a team of psychologists to work with children and youth
• Constant contact with families to calm them and assess needs that arise
• Opening ‘safe rooms’ to staff and residents who do not have a protected space in their own homes
• Mobilizing Ethiopian-Israeli liaisons to translate emergency instructions into Amharic (the native language of the Ethiopian-Israeli community)

JDC’s Centers for Young Adults in the region:

• The Center for Young Adults in Ashdod is actively enlisting volunteers to assist in various capacities throughout the city
• The staff of the Center for Young Adults in Netivot has transformed their main offices into a ‘Situation Room’ for coordination with Israel Defense Forces, police and the municipality

(Centers for Young Adults serve as a central platform for launching projects to help young immigrants. Centers provide a wide range of counseling and orientation services under one roof, including guidance regarding higher education and vocational training; job skills and life skills.)

People with Disabilities:

• Distribution of 15 disabled-accessible portable toilet systems for shelters in Sderot – this system was developed by JDC, based on a needs assessment conducted after the Second Lebanon War
• Supportive Communities for the Disabled in Sderot – The Community Coordinator position was extended from part-time to full-time to ensure members’ needs are met
• In Sderot, disabled community members are benefiting from 400 emergency lights that were distributed several months ago

Youth Volunteer Corps (AMEN program):
Youth in the north of Israel are organizing activities for their peers in the South including care packages, games, and facilitating direct shipping to children across the region

For more information, please contact ambassadors@jdc.org or go to the JDC website, www.jdc.org.

JDC-ISRAEL: UPDATE FROM JERUSALEM

Situation update from Arnon Mantver, Director of JDC-Israel:



Israel's Southern Region Under Fire

Shalom all,

Yesterday's news marked an escalation in the attacks on Southern Israel. The missiles fired hit farther than ever before and with greater accuracy, resulting in three fatalities. Suddenly, residents of cities such as Kiryat Malachi, Ashdod, Ofakim and Kiryat Gat - who were never considered in missile range - are being instructed to remain within 45 second range of a protected room. Gatherings of more than 100 people are allowed in roofed buildings only. School has been cancelled. As far away as Beersheva, the municipality has been directed to prepare all public shelters.

Ironically, Sderot and the surrounding kibbutzim and yishuvim have an "edge" on the cities which have recently joined them as missile targets. After eight years and nearly 8,000 missiles, they are more prepared to deal with the current attacks. For example, school cancellation is less onerous since the city has already introduced a distance-learning, computer-based system for just this eventuality, which JDC was involved in.

Before this newest crisis broke, David Buskila, Sderot's new mayor, had scheduled a meeting with me which was supposed to have taken place yesterday, in my office. The evening before we called and he asked if we could hold the meeting in Sderot instead, as a show of JDC's solidarity with the city; I immediately agreed.

Buskila, who held the post of Mayor prior to the outgoing Mayor, Eli Moyal, was just re-elected in November. My friendship with David goes back many years and he's a very special person. A long-time resident of Sderot, he was one of the leaders of a movement that attempted to foster understanding with the Gazans, back when that was still an option. He also made the exceptional move of donating one of his kidneys to his brother.

The city is pretty deserted, with many of the residents having moved north to stay with relatives. According to new municipal policy, any missile damage is repaired immediately (to maintain a façade of normalcy). The owner of the lone shop we found open told us he opened on principle, to demonstrate that Hamas cannot control his actions.

We met a woman who had recently made aliya from Kharkov; she participates in the Supportive Neighborhood for New Immigrants- The Path (Mishol), and despite being widowed and alone, told us she was not afraid. "I lived through the World War. I will live through this." There is no question that after eight years and nearly 8,000 missiles, the Sderotians - wherever they may have chosen to stay or go at this particular moment - are supportive and proud of the current IDF actions. Their relief is palpable.

What will happen to Israel's Southern cities in the very near future if no ceasefire is secured?

There are two scenarios: The situation will continue or it will escalate.

If the situation continues as is for more than two or three weeks, the needs of the residents will be many. Day Care Centers for the elderly are not operating now, for example, and homebound elderly will need visitation, medicines and meals on wheels. Activities will have to be provided for children who are not in school. Disabled individuals living in the community will require ongoing care. Small business owners will need financial assistance.

If the situation escalates, the needs will be even greater. Vulnerable populations may need to be taken out of the city for respite. Volunteers will have to be mobilized to assist families that may leave or be evacuated from the cities.

With the fear and uncertainty comes some good news: There is clear indication that both the national and local government is much more prepared to deal with this crisis than the previous one. JDC-Israel has a unique position as an advisor to the Tri-Sector Roundtable, a forum that convenes representatives from the Government, business and non-profit sectors to create a "pact" between the three sectors. The Forum is the initiative of the Prime Minister's Office which has displayed a genuine desire to strengthen the NGO Sector.

The goal is to coordinate governmental, voluntary and business efforts in the social arena and this forum is doing exactly that with regard to emergency efforts. Members are meeting every two to three days now and JDC continues to provide advice and consultation. The heartening news is that the level of cooperation, coordination and information sharing is excellent, both on the national and local level. Division of labor is clear and non-contentious. The business sector is prepared to provide resources as needed. The municipalities are considerably more functional than during the last crisis.

During this uncertain time, I am forced to compartmentalize my feelings. On the one hand, I am required, in my role at JDC, to asses the situation as dispassionately as possible, to analyze the needs and make decisions about what action to take. On the other hand, as an Israeli citizen, I am like everyone else: concerned about the safety our soldiers - sons/friends/neighbors - waiting on high alert on the border, glued to the news, hoping/waiting/fearing the next step which may or may not come. That so many of you wrote to me expressing your solidarity, offering prayers and hopes, underscores that this is not the Israeli reality - it is the reality of the entire Jewish people.


Wishing for peace and security,


Shalom from Jerusalem,
Arnon

A Visit To Sderot - December 28, 2008

Reflections from Alan Gill, Executive Director of International Relations, JDC-Israel

Today, I accompanied Arnon Mantver, Director of JDC-Israel and two senior professionals to Sderot to meet with Mayor David Bouskila and his staff. As you all know, Sderot is a primary target of missile attacks by Hamas and, following the onset of the current Israeli army offensive, has braced itself for a major counter rocket attack.

Some brief reflections as follows:

The streets were very quiet. Restaurants were open, so we stopped to eat hummus in a small restaurant where a missile had struck an hour before and just a few feet from the front door. The owner insisted on taking us to see his car whose back window was blown out by the blast. He was smiling at his good luck in that only the car and not the restaurant was hit.

Morale was positive. The people we met there are very supportive of the Israeli offensive. After eight years under rocket attacks, they are relieved to see this strategic offensive on the part of the Israel Defense Forces.

There were incoming missiles while we were walking to see where rockets had hit an hour earlier. After years of enduring these attacks, everyone reacted calmly and knew just what to do. They all knew the nearest shelter's location and there was absolutely no sense of panic.

And after the missiles landed, people immediately started debating with one another as to how close they hit based upon the loudness of the "boom". Ears are well-tuned there.

We were very impressed with Mayor Bouskila and his team's approach to creating a widespread sense of both community organization and rapid response. For example, immediately after missiles hit, city workers and community youth volunteers, who are part of JDC's AMEN Youth Volunteer Initiative, descended upon the wreckage and commenced with repairs and clean-up.

We were at an apartment that was hit by a missile only one hour earlier. The owner, an older woman immigrant from Kharkov, welcomed us warmly and chatted with Arnon in Russian while workers were busy replacing her windows and volunteers were finishing the clean up of all the glass in her house. Outside her window, workers were filling in the shrapnel holes in her wall as well as smoothing over the holes in the garden. Everyone was determined that this woman be able to sleep in her bed tonight and to immediately return her apartment to its former condition. This was both impressive and heartwarming.

It is also clear that JDC programs are making a critical difference for the community, including supportive neighborhoods for the elderly and people with disabilities, emergency consulting & crisis management for the municipalities, The "Chibuki" doll & "Red Color Song" programs to ease children's trauma, "Helping the Helpers" to insure coordination of first response emergency crews.

Celebrating the Festival of Lights Amidst Conflict

Amidst Falling Rockets Israelis with Disabilities Celebrate Hanukkah Together in Southern Israel
"I am very excited today following last night's Hanukkah celebration that included 60 members from JDC's Supportive Community for the Disabled and the Accessible Community Programs in Sderot, said Nitza Dinor, a program coordinator on behalf of the Unit for Disabilities in cooperation with Gvanim Association and the Social Welfare Division of the Sderot Municipality. Nitza is all too familiar with events being cancelled and rooms left empty because members of the local Supportive Community were too afraid to leave their homes due to a surge of Kassam rockets.

Nitza further expressed in a message to JDC-Israel, "I believe that our members are grasping for life and happiness, which they know they can find in togetherness. All of us understand that this is what keeps us strong in this situation.”

JDC's Supportive Community for the Disabled and the Accessible Community Programs in Sderot provide personal and social support for people with disabilities and their families living in Sderot. The programs were established with funds from UJC/Federation Israel Emergency Campaign and from the Northern New Jersey Jewish Federation. Currently 100 people with disabilities participate in these activities and the aim is to increase the scope to all 500 people living with severe disabilities in Sderot.

These programs were created with a strong emphasis on emergency preparedness including: emergency contact lists, the recruiting and training of volunteers for home visits, preparations for respite or evacuations if needed, workshops for stress reduction and distribution of equipment specially designed for people with disabilities such as lighting and communication devices.

In addition, JDC completed upgrades on two public buildings—a social club and an employment center—in Sderot to ensure their safety from Kassam rockets. These facilities serve 150 community members with disabilities who attend these activities every day in spite of the attacks knowing that the facilities have the highest standards of protection, as approved by Israel’s Homefront Command. JDC-ESHEL, the Association for the Planning and Development of Services for the Aged in Israel also consulted on this to ensure the buildings were fully accessible for elderly people living with disabilities.

JDC is committed to providing support and relief to members of the vulnerable populations—children, elderly, and people with disabilities—living in Sderot, the Gaza Border Region, and the Southern Conflict Zone. JDC works to secure the safety and well-being of these community members and works to create a positive and productive community environment. As Nitza remarked, “It is important not to give up on our events and to attend social evenings and celebrate holidays together. This togetherness creates a very powerful resilience as we felt at the Hanukkah celebration.”

JDC programs that support the communities in the Southern Conflict Zone are funded by the UJC/Federation Israel Emergency Campaign and are run in full cooperation with UJC, JAFI, and the government of Israel.

Situation Update: JDC's Response in the Southern Conflict Region

Map of Conflict Region -Click on the map to enlarge

UPDATE - December 29:
It is now in day two of missile barrages in Sderot, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and the Gaza Border Region.

Over 60 rockets and mortars have been fired into Israel since Monday morning (Israel time) - nine of which hit Ashkelon, five struck Sderot and four others struck various towns in the western Negev, including a tragic fatality in the town of Netivot.

Two Katyusha rockets exploded near Ashdod on Sunday. More than 18 miles from Gaza and north of the city of Ashkelon, this was the deepest into Israel a Palestinian rocket has yet to strike. These new rockets now have a range of up to 24 miles. Today has already claimed another life, this time in the city of Ashkelon—with an additional 14 wounded.

Senior staff members of JDC are travelling down to Sderot at this moment, and will be meeting with the Mayor to assess immediate needs in the region.

JDC: Responding to Emergency Needs in the Southern Conflict Zone
Since 2000, JDC has worked to help the region's communities cope with the challenges of constant attack by providing support to the most vulnerable sectors – elderly, Israelis with disabilities, children and new immigrants – and working to enhance the capacity of local governments and NGOs to assist residents. JDC works in partnership with the Israeli government and local agencies to provide both emergency and non-emergency services.

JDC honed its expertise in providing emergency respite and trauma relief programs for vulnerable Israelis during and after the Second Lebanon War in 2006. Emergency programs for communities in the southern Israel were developed and implemented through UJC’s and UJC’s Israel Emergency Campaign funding.

These funds, which have offered comfort and security where it is most needed, are now depleting. Their scope and impact has become limited – and in some cases, has ceased altogether. In the past 24 hours, JDC has been made aware of increasing numbers of people and municipalities in need of urgent assistance. This ‘rationing’ of services comes about even as trauma experts, JDC staff, local professionals and residents repeatedly testify to these programs’ effectiveness and ability to generate improvement and impact, even under impossible circumstances.

In preparing for the recent events in Israel’s Southern Region, JDC has mapped out responses to the following scenarios.

Possible Scenarios
1. Current Level of Attacks: Continued rocket fire, at its present level, would require increased activity in existing programs for all vulnerable populations living in the range of fire.

2. Increased Level of Attacks: In the case of escalated attacks JDC will provide multi-day respite vacations for vulnerable individuals – specifically 3,000 elderly and 3,000 people with severe physical and mental disabilities along with their caregivers. For those populations who will not be part of these respite activities, JDC will also operate trauma-relief programs and activities for children and families in bomb shelters.

3. Region-Wide Evacuation: Should the current situation develop into a major military operation requiring region-wide evacuation of Israeli citizens, JDC will work in coordination with the Israeli government to provide the necessary relief.

JDC Programs
1. Improving the Region’s Crisis Management Capacity – JDC is improving the region’s ability to respond to residents’ needs through the implementation of what are now two proven program models: YUVAL, which boosts the organizational resilience of first-response emergency crews; and MATOV, which improves municipality’s coordination with local nonprofits and community organizations in providing relief and care. A JDC Emergency Response Consultant works with the city’s top leadership in mapping needs and existing resources to enhance response time and effectiveness. Given the reality of the past 24 hours, with a widened area now in the fire zone, there is a need to expand JDC's ongoing emergency-response consultation.

2. Children - JDC established educational and psychological programs to help the region's children cope with and overcome their trauma, and to allow for their continued academic and social development. These include afternoon enrichment programs; training and support for psychologists, teachers and counselors; post-traumatic therapy; support programs for children with special needs; equipping school facilities; and creating Havens of Calm, facilities within schools for children requiring trauma support, a space where they can go for comfort and to safely express their fears.

Notably, JDC introduced its Hibbuki and Red Color Song Programs to help alleviate children's stress as well as identify and treat severe trauma cases. The ‘Hibbuki’ (Huggy) doll, a stuffed animal with Velcro strips on its long arms, works by actually ‘hugging’ and transferring therapeutic responsibility to children. The Red Color Song helps youngsters cope with the stress of repeated Red Color alerts, which signal the need to seek immediate refuge in a secure area.

As the situation escalates, the reality becomes more painful: JDC needs the wherewithal to work in far more locations that it already does.

3. Physical Security - JDC has helped strengthen the security and building infrastructure at Elderly Daycare Centers and other key facilities serving vulnerable populations.

4. Respite Care - for elderly residents and residents with disabilities. Working with local partners to identify those most in need of respite, JDC has provided these individuals with a much-needed break from the anxiety and danger of constant shelling. The day-trips and short breaks in hotels around the country include guided day tours and psychological support.

5. Helping the Helpers (YUVAL) - JDC has developed additional supportive services for professionals serving vulnerable populations working in the conflict region through the YUVAL program. These services, which include labor augmentation, respite and post-trauma workshops, have helped professionals cope with their incredibly stressful workload as they provide invaluable services to their constituents.

6. Boosting the Regional Economy - In addition to the psychological and physical damage, the escalation is also dealing a harsh economic blow to the region. JDC's Employment Initiative, TEVET, has cooperated with organizations in southern Israel including the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Small and Medium Enterprises Authority and the Small Business Development Center (MATI) to boost the region's small business sector.