Responding Urgently to the Emergency in Haiti

Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti following the devastating earthquake this weekend, which has killed hundreds of people and destroyed thousands of homes.


As a collective, Jewish Federations are responding immediately to support relief efforts through the Joint Distribution Committee, which is providing critically needed medical supplies to local hospitals treating the wounded. The ongoing core funding from Federations to JDC enabled JDC to respond immediately this weekend, as it does in emergencies around the world. Last year alone, Federations provided over $40 million to the Joint Distribution Committee, which among addressing other global needs, helped buttress its 11-year efforts in Haiti and allowed it to swing into action immediately when disaster struck again.


We are in close contact with our JDC partners, as well as our Federation colleagues, to assess the ongoing emergency response needs in Haiti. JDC has opened a mailbox directed at this emergency, which can be accessed here.


Beyond these international efforts, Jewish Federations are committed to civic partnerships, among them the Haitian-American community with whom we stand in support at this devastating moment.


We will continue to keep you posted as this situation develops.


Mark Wilf is the Chair of the JFNA Board of Trustees. Jeff Schoenfeld is the Chair of Israel and Overseas at JFNA.