Israel's southern city of Sderot is coming under repeated barrages of rockets from Gaza, which have already killed one person and wounded many. Our response is to participate in a national Jewish effort to send funds to the people of Sderot to help keep them safe and sane.

Our Chicago community raised over $42 million through JUF's Israel Emergency Campaign to rebuild both Israel's north, which was devastated during the 2007 war against Hezbollah and fund a wide range of key social welfare programs for the Israeli people both in the north and in the Sderot area. Although IEC ended at the close of 2007, JUF continues to aid the embattled Sderot region, most recently through a program to provide respite out of rocket range for Sderot's youngsters. 

  Related Video:

Supporting Orphaned Israeli Teens Israeli teens whose parents died in teror attacks need support from the global Jewish community, Here's the story of how JUF reached out to a group of these brave young people. 1:13 (9.8 MB) | 10/10/2007

  Related Video:

Respite for Orphaned Israeli Teens Israeli teens whose parents were killed by terrorists need extra support. Here's the story of how JUF brought a group of them to Chicago for a week of respite and summer fun.  3:24 (27.6 MB) | 10/10/2007

Rebuilding

Read the first Victims of Terror Fund report on assisting the victims of the Mercaz HaRav attack.  

A special JUF emergency grant will help rebuild the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, which was targeted in a terror attack that killed eight.

JUF is sending another $1.2 million in relief to the beleaguered residents of Sderot. Read how this money will help.

The latest report from the Israel Emergency Campaign Victims of Terror Committee shows how your money has been spent to directly help Sderot residents who have been wounded or otherwise directly impacted by the Qassam rockets fired from Gaza.

Read UJC Senior VP Nachman's Shai's letter about the latest fatal missile attack on Sapir College in Sderot. In solidarity with the students at Sapir, JUF and other North American federations are giving students there $1.7 million in scholarships.

See where your IEC dollars go and who they help. Visit United Jewish Communities' Israel Emergency Campaign webpage for a breakdown of how IEC funds have been spent to and read the stories of the Israelis your contributions have helped.

UJC Senior VP Nachman Shai writes about Sderot. The Jewish Agency has sent an additional $300,000 to the embattled town to help with emergency needs.

Sderot residents tell their harrowing stories ... and give thanks to JUF's Israel Emergency Campaign.

The Fund for Victims of Terror helps a soldier grieviously wounded in last summer's war against Hezbollah.

IEC helps children heal. JUF's Joel Schatz reports on a new program to help 9,000 children in Israel's north recover from last summer's war.

Read about the terror of daily life in Sderot Beneath a Canopy of Qassams 

United Jewish Communities is investing more than $35 million in IEC money to help businesses in Israel's north.

The Jewish Agency upgrades three hospitals in Israel's north with IEC funds.

War trauma continues in Israel's north. One year later, for many Israelis, the war is far from over. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, they live lives of relentless fear. Read a Yediot Achronot front page series of articles about trauma in the North.

Aid for Israelis evacuated from Gaza and West Bank. United Jewish Communities, the national umbrella for North American Federations is sending $2.6 million to help rebuild the lives of the former residents.  Read a Yediot Achronot article about how JUF is helping the evacuees 

Sderot residents tell of life under fire 

JUF president’s eyewitness account of Sderot rocket attack
Dr. Steven B. Nasatir came under rocket attack during a visit to Sderot with two other Federation heads. Listen to his firsthand account (MP3). See also JUF's Special Report on the crisis in Sderot.

JUF VP sends back account of The War Zone  in Sderot

United Jewish Communities mission to Israel find that IEC needs are still critical

Jewish Agency takes thousands of Sderot childrens and teens out of rocket range for brief respite

North American Federations, including JUF, are giving $1.8 million in humanitarian aid through UJC to Sderot and surrounding communities

Jewish Agency gives an additional $2 million in emergency aid to Sderot. In response to the crisis, JUF and other Jewish organizations are providing funds through the Jewish Agency to send all 8,200 children in Sderot to safe summer camps out of rocket range, give emergency aid to the wounded and provide emergency supplies and lighting for Sderot's bomb shelters.

Watch a video of a direct hit by Qassam rocket attack on a Negev school. Ze'ev Bielski, Jewish Agency Chairman, gives a firsthand account of the situation in Sderot.

Israel Emergency Campaign update
Read JUF's IEC Report to the Community (PDF), which outlines IEC's fundraising accomplishments and how the dollars are being spent.

JAFI Fund for Victims of Terror helps soldier wounded in July 12 kidnapping
Soldier gives firsthand account of the kidnapping of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev

Help for the embattled residents of Sderot
As Qassam rockets continue to fall on Sderot, North American federations commit more than $2.5 million to provide children, the elderly and disabled with brief respite from the physical danger and emotional impact of ongoing rocket attacks. Special help is being given to hundreds of small businesses that face bankruptcy.

Alleviating Trauma
One-third of Israelis in the north are suffering from Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder from last summer's war. JUF-partner agencies are helping to ease the emotional fallout, especially among children.

Grants to small businesses
Some 1000 grants from the Jewish Agency for Israel--an overseas arm of JUF--have given much needed aid to small-business owners in the north.

Scholarships for Israeli reserve soldiers
Thousands of Israeli students, who were called up to serve in last summer's war, are receiving scholarships to attend college. To help strengthen the north, students attending schools in the north are also receiving tuition scholarships.

Religious streams endorse IEC
Four synagogue movements announced support for IEC.

Volunteer in the north
Go Galilee sends young adults to Israel's north to help bring back life to the region and help the residents recover.

MASA/Israel journey goes north
Over 2,500 new participants and graduates of the MASA/Israel Journey program descended on the hard hit city of Acre to kick-off the beginning of MASA's third year.