May 18, 2007

Jewish Agency chairman Zeev Bielski visits Sderot to share solidarity of Jewish communities around world; group gives contribution to go towards taking Sderot children on holiday

Yael Barnofsky

The Jewish Agency has stepped up to offer relief for Sderot residents, who have been dealing once again with incessant threat of Qassam attacks this week.

On Wednesday the JA organized a trip for 250 Sderot kids to see the soccer State Cup Final at the Ramat Gan Stadium, and on Friday buses took children and teens to spend the weekend in Jerusalem.

The agency has also set up a fund for terror victims that has already raised NIS 100,000, which it transferred to the Sderot municipality for residents' "immediate necessities."

Jewish Agency chairman Zeev Bielski toured Sderot Friday morning, where some 100 rockets have hit since Tuesday.

In a meeting with Sderot mayor Eli Moyal, Bielski said the JA had recruited NIS 10 million ($2.5 million) together with United Jewish  Communities (UJC). The sum will go towards taking school-age children on a weeklong vacation, with the hopes that in the meantime the attacks will be brought under control.

Bielski said the Home Front Command asked the Jewish Agency to help with the distribution of vibrating beepers to alert deaf citizens ahead of attacks who cannot hear the Color Red warning sirens.

"We can see a great deal of solidarity among the world Jewish communities with the situation here in the south," Bielski said. "I came here today to bring this support to the citizens here. The communities are busy gathering money because it's time to help out."