Following last week’s terrorist assaults in Paris, the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago has opened an emergency “French Terror and Security Fund” to aid the French Jewish community and others. JUF/Federation has made the first contribution of $100,000 to the fund.

Community members may visit the JUF website at https://donate.juf.org/Condolences to donate.

The fund will aid the families of the four Jews murdered at the Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket on Friday, Jan. 9, from funeral and burial costs in Israel to trauma relief and financial support to the victims’ families.

In concert with other French and American non-profits, the French Terror and Security Fund also will assist the families of the murdered staff members of the Charlie Hebdo magazine, two of whom were Jewish.

Additionally, the fund will help synagogues and other Jewish institutions in France address their many millions of dollars in increased security costs. French philanthropists and the institutions themselves have committed to raise 80 percent of these security costs, and the American Jewish community has pledged to absorb the remaining 20 percent.

Enhancing the French Jewish community’s resiliency capacity—its ability to respond to future attacks—also is a priority.

This latest murderous anti-Semitic attack has further heightened interest in aliyah (emigration to Israel) for the nearly 500,000 Jews of France. Support for such aliyah, while always generously provided by the JUF Annual Campaign, will be enhanced by the new fund at a time when accelerated aliyah from France already is occurring, and much more is anticipated.

In response to the wave of anti-Semitism that has swept across Europe, especially France, in recent years, a record-breaking 7,000 French Jews immigrated to Israel in 2014, double the 3,400 who made the move in 2013 and triple the 1,900 who did so in 2012.

As its policy, JUF/Federation will absorb any administrative costs of this emergency relief effort so that 100% of collected donations directly support needs on the ground.

The fund will operate in cooperation with the Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the French Jewish community.

In addition, the Jewish Federation will host a Community Memorial Program for the Victims of the Paris Terror Attacks at noon Wednesday, Jan. 14, at The Loop Synagogue, 16 S. Clark St., Chicago. To ensure seating and security, please register.

The Jewish Federation also has opened a condolence page for Chicago community members to express their sympathies to the French Jewish community. Comments may be submitted here.