Jewish Agency Starts Distributing Emergency Aid to Terror Victims to Address
Immediate Needs
The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror has helped more than 6,000
Israeli families and distributed more than $30 million since its
establishment
Jewish Agency Chairman Sharansky: “The Jewish Agency is extending a helping
hand to victims of terror in real time”

JERUSALEM – The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for Victims of Terror
yesterday (Wednesday, October 14) began granting immediate financial aid to
Israelis affected by terror attacks in recent days. The grants have been
made possible by contributions from The Jewish Federations of North America,
Keren Hayesod-UIA, and other donors.

The immediate assistance of NIS 4,000 is meant to address families’ most
urgent needs in the wake of an attack, including the purchase of medical
equipment, incidental expenses during hospitalization, mobility for the
wounded and their family members, initial treatment for children,
accommodation expenses, and so on. The grants have thus far been distributed
to those wounded in the attacks, as well as to family members of those who
have lost their lives. Additional requests continue to arrive at the fund’s
emergency hotline and are being handled as swiftly as possible.

In addition to the immediate emergency assistance, the fund will present
each family recognized as victims of terror by Israel’s National Insurance
Institute with supplemental aid of up to NIS 25,000. The supplemental grants
are meant to help the families cover the costs of medical equipment,
treatment, professional training, and so on.

Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky
said: “The Jewish Agency is extending a helping hand to victims of terror in
real time, because it is important that we help the families as swiftly of
possible, even before the government steps in. It is important that we
embrace the victims with the solidarity of world Jewry and that we extend
immediate, practical aid, so as to alleviate their pain and distress to the
extent possible.”

The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror was established in 2002 in
the wake of the wave of terror attacks during that period and reopened after
the Second Lebanon War in 2006 in order to provide supplemental aid to
victims of terror recognized as such by the National Insurance Institue and
assist their rehabilitation process. Since its establishment, the fund has
assisted more than 6,000 Israeli families—including hundreds affected by
last summer’s Gaza operation—and distributed more than $30 million. In 2007,
the fund created an emergency channel to provide victims of terror with
urgent aid and help them through the immediate aftermath of an attack.

Requests for assistance from the Fund for Victims of Terror may be submitted
via the National Insurance Institute’s rehabilitation staff or municipal
welfare services. The aid is distributed directly by Jewish Agency
representatives in the field, in close coordination with local welfare
services and the National Insurance Institute.