The St. Louis Jewish community’s restricted gifts to two programs aid victims in real time.
The adage that “timing is everything” sure holds true when rockets hit Southern Israel last week. Jewish Federation’s Board had just approved the 2012-13 allocations to agencies and unrestricted programs. This included a restricted overseas allocation to the Israel Trauma Coalition to support first responders and therapists specializing in trauma treatment and to the Jewish Agency for Israel Victims of Terror Project to help soldiers and civilian victims of terrorism and provide supplementary assistance not covered by government funds.
Most rockets fired landed in open areas. Hamas claimed responsibility, according to a report from Jerry Silverman, President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America. A civilian workman, engaged in constructing the security border fence between Israel’s border and Sinai, was killed on Monday. The victim, Saif Phashphashe, an Israeli-Arab father of four, lived in Haifa. The IDF has since killed the terrorists responsible for the attack. IDF reports suggest the terrorists’ intentions are to either to kidnap an Israeli or murder as many as possible Israelis in a nearby community.
Nine border police were injured, one seriously, after a Grad rocket landed by their vehicle near Kibbutz Yad Mordechai on Tuesday. Many residents are severely traumatized by these attacks, which prompt fears to resurface from the last onslaught. Citizens and soldiers are being treated for shock. Citizens in Beersheva, ‘Negev’s Capital,’ are attempting to continue everyday life.
The IDF has issued instructions to residents of the Eshkol and Hof Ashkelon regions to stay close to a shelter. Apart from the unfortified Maagalim elementary school in the Sdot Negev Council district, schools remain open. Children in middle and high school are now on vacation anyway.
