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Americans raise over $350m for the North |
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November 1, 2006
By Amiram Barkat
Over $350 million has been raised for rehabilitating Northern communities as part of an emergency fund-raising appeal run by Jewish organizations in the U.S. A report on the fund-raising was presented to Jewish Agency officials yesterday at a conference held in London.
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This is $50 million above the original target set for the project. The appeal is expected to continue at least until the end of the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities (UJC) and Federations of North America, which will take place November 12-15 in Los Angeles.
The head of the Jewish Agency, Zeev Bielski, estimated that the total would reach $400 million. This is the largest amount of money ever raised by a Jewish organization in a three-month period. In addition to the contributions from North America, other Jewish communities gave tens of millions through Keren Hayesod.
Most of the funds are targeted for projects for physical rehabilitation, as well as education. The money is provided through the Jewish Agency and the Joint Distribution Fund. About $100 million has already been put to use.
The UJC initiated the appeal at the end of July, soon after the war started. During the war, the UJC paid for 40,000 children from the North to spend time at camps and resorts far away from the Katyushas, at a cost of $26 million. It also provided another $39 million for victims of terror attacks, scholarships, equipment and renovations for bomb shelters, and to support small businesses.
© Copyright 2006 Haaretz. All rights reserved
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