This past summer Israel once again confronted fierce rocket attacks on its south-western border. These attacks affected over 3 million Israeli citizens, forcing men, women and children to rush to shelters throughout the country -- from kibbutzim situated along the border, all the way to central Tel Aviv and beyond. With typical generosity, the Canadian Jewish community demonstrated its solidarity with the people of Israel. The emergency campaign launched in July by JFC-UIA -- on behalf of the individual Canadian federations -- raised more than $7 million for both the immediate and longer-term needs of frontline communities in the south of Israel. From the onset of the war, our Israel staff were in the field, assessing needs and determining priorities, in conjunction with the various municipalities, local NGOs and government agencies, which were once again charged with the daunting task of ensuring the safety of the citizens under attack. JFC-UIA played a central role in providing vital resources to the field. We were able to mobilize volunteers, offer support to the most vulnerable populations, and provide much-needed respite to those in the greatest danger, in coordination with our partner agencies. Our over-riding aim was to ensure that the emergency funds were provided effectively, efficiently and speedily. In order to ensure the most effective allocation of funds, we focused our involvement on local initiatives and the collective response in the following manner: Local initiatives: Funding was allocated to long-lasting partnerships regions, in which JFC-UIA has a deep familiarity with local needs and resources -- Sderot, Be’er Sheva and Bnei Shimon. Collective response: Funding was allocated to our traditional international partners, including JFNA, the Jewish Agency, JDC and Keren Hayesod. The selection of projects, and the way and extent to which they were funded, was conducted in careful consultation with JFC staff.
The Canadian federations’ contribution towards strengthening the national resilience throughout the war cannot be overstated. Beyond the financial support, the solidarity demonstrated by the Canadian Jewish community showed it to be a true friend to the people of Israel, both in good times and bad.
Dr. Ralph Shedletsky Chair
Linda Kislowicz President and CEO
Yossi Tanuri Director General