September 18 , 2008 / 18 Elul 5768

Dear Friends,

Recently, acts of anti-Semitism and threats on Jewish targets worldwide have increased, due, in part, to the rise of extreme Islamic terrorism and the influence of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

In order to give an appropriate response to these threats and others such as nature disasters, or an economic crisis which could suddenly beset a Jewish community, the Government of Israel decided yesterday to establish a joint forum of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency, which will assist Jewish communities in emergency and crisis situations.

The immediate and critical assistance which the Jewish Agency recently gave Jews in the war-zones in Georgia and the treatment of Jewish communities in crisis situations in the past have proven the need for such a body to assist Jewish communities in crisis situations such as terror attacks, natural disasters, economic crises and so forth.

The Government decision will formally anchor the work of the "Forum on Emergency and Crisis Situations in Jewish Communities", established in 2002 by the Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel, for the purpose of serving as a thinking, planning and action body to assist Jewish communities in the Diaspora in times of emergency or crisis. The forum consists of a Global Group which includes representatives of Jewish communities, and an Israeli forum, which includes representatives of all the relevant bodies in the State of Israel.

The forum will convene in three situations: routinely, for ongoing evaluation, practice and preparation for crisis management; in specific alert to an emergency or crisis situation, for assistance preparation; and in response to an emergency or crisis situation in one of the Jewish communities in the world - to demonstrate responsiveness as an act of solidarity, and to assist or rehabilitate the damaged community.

According to the decision that was submitted to the Government by the Prime Minister, the Government Secretary will serve at my side at the head of the forum. Mr. Josh Schwarcz, the Secretary General of the Jewish Agency, serves as the Director of the Forum.

We are proud to be in a partnership with the Government of Israel in this important effort to ensure that we maintain the core Jewish value of - "All of Israel is responsible one for the other".

Sincerely,

Zeev Bielski 
zeevik@jafi.org