Our trusted partners are providing urgent support to a number of relief efforts in Nepal, including supplying two neonatal incubators for the IDF field hospital and securing emergency medical supplies for transfer to Nepal. They have deployed a rapid assessment team, which will work with a number of international agencies including the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, U.S. State Department, the Israeli Embassy, and Tevel b’Tzedek.
Nepal Relief Fund
Help Us Help Those In Crisis
UPDATE (5/12/15): JDC Assesses New Nepal Quake Damage >
On Saturday, April 25th, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, leaving an enormous human tragedy in its wake. Latest numbers suggest over 4000 people have been killed and thousands more injured. According to the United Nations, the death toll is likely to rise to the tens of thousands in Nepal, India and China.
Federations have already swung into action and are collecting funds for emergency relief efforts (click here to donate). We are working closely with our partners who are focused on assessing the unfolding situation on the ground in order to identify how we can best ensure survivors’ immediate needs are addressed. Some emergency supplies from the Joint Distribution Committee, one of our partners, have already arrived in Nepal.
Approximately 2,000 Israelis are currently in Nepal and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that at least 50 of them are still “out of contact,” their fate unknown at this stage. Hundreds of Israelis spent last night in the courtyard of the Israeli embassy and in the Chabad House in Kathmandu, and are awaiting evacuation aboard El Al jets now en route. Meanwhile, an IDF advance team of about a dozen officers arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday to assess needs and a larger medical mission of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Magen David Adom personnel departed Israel Sunday morning. The IDF Spokesperson said a delegation numbering 260 medical and rescue crew members will depart for Kathmandu. The delegation will establish a field hospital which will be operational within 12 hours, with the capability of treating 200 wounded a day. The team will include dozens of army physicians in the regular army and the reserves.
It's at times like this, that our shared commitment to Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, finds its deepest expression. In the past, Federations have worked through our partners to provide immediate relief and long-term assistance to victims of natural and manmade disasters around the globe, including the Philippines, Haiti, Japan, and South Asia after the Indian Ocean Tsunami and continue to operate programs designed to rebuild infrastructure and community life in disaster-stricken regions.
Help us respond to victims of this disaster.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the victims of this tragedy.
Sincerely,
James H. Stein, President
Dina Weinbach, Executive Director
