When the atrocities of October 7 occurred, JNF UK quickly pivoted its support to helping the Gaza Envelope communities that were hardest hit. Over the years JNF UK has built strong relationships with these communities, so our team on the ground knew exactly where and how to direct our support. Listed below are the ways we supported Israelis immediately after the onset of the horrific attacks on our beloved homeland.
We provided immediate immediate assistance by:
Together with one of our partner organisations, Osim Shchuna, JNF UK initiated Operation Ir Miklat (City of Refuge) to clear, clean, and fix thousands of shelters in Israel’s Northern towns as thousands of vulnerable citizens had no safe rooms, and communal shelters were unusable after years of neglect.
From the beginning of the operation to date we have identified and checked over 23,000 shelters.
We cleared, cleaned and painted approximately 3700 shelters and performed electrical work and other work in over 2000 shelters with the help of 6,500 volunteers.
JNF UK supported the families rescued from Gaza border communities from the South through several initiatives aimed at providing them with some relief and a semblance of normality.
How we helped:
• Funded temporary accommodation for displaced families.
• Relocated families who have children with disabilities to adapted accommodation.
• Provided hundreds of rescued children with respite activities including music shows and arts and crafts sessions.
• Sent activity packs to thousands of children who were spending their days in shelters.
Together with our partner The Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel, we ensured that thousands of Holocaust survivors did not feel alone at this terrible time.
Volunteers traveled all over Israel distributing emergency kits to holocaust survivors. These kits were designed to make sitting in a bomb shelter, for hours everyday, less uncomfortable. Each kit included a torch with batteries, a transistor radio and a first aid kit. Our volunteers also distributed food baskets as it was unsafe to go shopping and support networks had been severely disrupted.
Over 3275 food baskets and over 2,500 emergency kits were delivered to holocaust survivors in need.
JNF UK worked with its partner Yad Tamar to provide much-needed mental health support to 5,000 families from the South dealing with crises that required family emergency management due to the war.
Many families who experienced this terrible war needed multi-system support and assistance due to losing their loved ones, recovering from their wounds, losing their homes and friends, parents or children drafted to the army, loss of income, and more.
The assistance was directed specifically toward families with members who were wounded, ill, elderly, or disabled, and this enabled them to receive holistic, multi-system support in the
long term.
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JNF Charitable Trust is a registered Charity No. 225910. It is registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 355248. Registered office: 95 Church Road, London NW4 4FE