4 | OCTOBER 26 • 2023 J
N

from Federation

We Stand With Israel;
How You Can Help, Too.
F

ollowing the 
devastating assault by 
Hamas on Simchat 
Torah, the people of Israel 
are displaying unprecedented 
unity during this war and 
have come 
together with 
extensive 
volunteer 
efforts and aid 
from various 
organizations.
The Jewish 
Federations of 
North America launched 
a $500 million campaign, 
offering aid and resources 
for those affected, 
while maintaining close 
collaboration with Israeli 
authorities and partners on 
the ground.

FEDERATION’S 
RESPONSE TO DATE
As of Oct. 17, Detroit 
Federation’s Israel 
Emergency Campaign has 
raised $8 million from over 
1,800 donors. Federation is 
in the process of appointing 
an Allocation Committee 
to ensure that the funds are 
used in the most urgent and 
effective manner. 
 • $1 million from the 
Detroit Federation campaign 
has already been distributed 
in Israel. 100% of the funds 
have provided urgent and 
desperately needed relief and 
support, delivered on the 
ground by Jewish Agency for 
Israel, JDC, World ORT, the 

Israel Trauma Coalition and 
others.
• $100,000 was allocated to 
JAFI Victims of Terror Fund 
for families and individuals 
who have been impacted by 
acts of terror and violence, 
providing immediate grants 
to rebuild homes damaged 
by rocket fire, and providing 
for long-term rehabilitation 
and post-trauma care.
• We are currently hosting 
80 families from the South 
in hotels in safer areas. 100 
backpacks were delivered to 
troops. 400 sets of thermal 
pants and shirts were deliv-
ered to troops in the north.
• $50,000 was given to 
Dror Israel, one of our 
Gertzman recipients, 
to support evacuees, to 
provide youth counselors 
and programming in bomb 
shelters and to provide day 
care for children of hospital 
staff and other essential 
personnel.
Locally, community 

security remains a core 
priority. Jewish Community 
Security Inc. (JCSI) 
continues to work closely 
with local and national law 
enforcement to safeguard the 
welfare of our community. 
We are grateful to local 
police departments for their 
ongoing vigilance. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP
• Support the Israel 
Emergency Campaign. 
Support the people of Israel 
during this devastating 
time through our Israel 
Emergency Campaign. The 
money directly supports 
the victims of terror, 
helps rebuild damaged 
infrastructure and addresses 
the unprecedented levels 
of trauma throughout 
Israel. (https://tinyurl.com/
bdh8t586)
• Make friendship 
bracelets for children and 
teens in Israel. Jewish 
Federation of Detroit 

is collecting friendship 
bracelets to send to the 
kids and teens in Israel to 
show them that we support 
them and we are thinking 
of them from afar. This is 
a community-wide effort. 
You can make bracelets at 
home and drop them off at 
Federation. 
• Write a letter to 
a soldier. Join others 
worldwide in writing 
letters or sharing drawings/
pictures for Israeli soldiers 
on the front lines. This is 
an opportunity to show the 
IDF support for defending 
the Jewish people and the 
State of Israel. Any age 
member of your household 
can participate in this small 
but significant gesture of 
support. Letters can be 
uploaded to our drop box: 
Use the link to upload 
messages of hope and 
gratitude. (https://tinyurl.
com/4fnc6svt)
• #BlueRibbonsforIsrael. 
#BlueRibbonsforIsrael is a 
global solidarity campaign. 
The blue ribbon symbolizes 
support and solidarity for the 
safe return of the hostages 
taken by Hamas terrorists 
in Israel. It symbolizes soli-
darity with the hostages, 
their families and all who 
care about their safety. These 
ribbons will be distributed 
to community organizations 
in the coming days. Learn 
more at blueribbonsforisrael.
org. 

Steven 
Ingber

PURELY COMMENTARY