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Federation earmarks $2.35 million
of Challenge Fund
for social relief in Israel.
HARRY KIRS BAUM
StaffWriter
T
he 17 months of escalat-
ing violence throughout
Israel has taken a huge
toll on social and humani-
tarian agencies in Israel, diverting
$1.4 billion of government spending
to the military.
To help make up the difference,
the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit announced
five grants of emergency relief total-
ing $2.35 million from
a challenge fund during
the 2002 Federation
Annual Campaign.
"We cannot stand on
the sidelines and watch
our brothers and sisters
in Israel suffer," said
Federation President
Larry Jackier to the
boards of Federation
and the United Jewish
Foundation, the
Federation's finance
arm, on Jan. 24. "We
must act and we must
act now."
And the boards did,
unanimously approving
the grants.
For every dollar
increase made to
Federation's Annual
Campaign 2002, as well
as for every new dollar
pledged, the
Berman/Handleman
Israel Solidarity
Initiative provides a dol-
lar towards Israel. The money is used
for humanitarian programs to assist
families, children, elderly, immi- -
grants and others threatened by ter-
rorism in the Jewish homeland.
So far $3.65 million has been
raised with a goal of $4 million.
Previous challenge funds have been
earmarked to support social services
in Detroit, said Jackier, but because
of the difficulties Israel is facing, "we
determined, with the approval of
Handleman and Berman, to send it
all to Israel."
Howard Neistein, the Federation's
chief planning officer, said the chal-
lenge fund money going to Israel
this year will affect local allocations,
but the Federation will "try to make
up for that this year from reserves."
The five initial grants are:
* Up to $1.2 million to support an
Extended Day Education Network
for five schools, two in Netanya, two
in Nazareth Illit, and one in Hadera
for the 2001-02 and 2002-03 aca-
demic years. This project was to be
"We cannot stand
on the sidelines
and watch our
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brothers and sisters
in Israel suffer."
—Larry Jackier, Federation president
funded by the Israeli government
prior to the crisis and subsequent
cutbacks. It provides a structured
and supervised environment for ele-
mentary school children living in
areas that have experienced a high
frequency of terrorist activity.
* $500,000 to support a fund for
victims and survivors of terrorist
activities. The fund provides tempo-
rary emergency relief to individuals
and families for immediate needs,
until the government support system