[ ]J Street [ ]
[1]Recognizing the strains of the moment, we’re sharing ideas for how you
can make a contribution to help vulnerable communities in Israel, the West
Bank, Gaza and the US.

Friend --

We’re all in this together.

Throughout the world right now, billions of people are staying at home to
stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect the most vulnerable among
us.

As we band together to protect the lives of our neighbors -- and really in
this moment that word has taken on a global meaning -- it’s clear that the
impacts of this pandemic are not limited to health. Millions of people are
losing their jobs as restaurants shutter, tourism grinds to a halt, gig
economy workers see falling demand for their services and domestic workers
are dismissed.

In the United States, Israel and the Palestinian territory -- all hit hard
by this pandemic -- organizations are mobilizing to provide support to
address the economic and medical trauma befalling vulnerable communities.

Below we’ve listed some organizations and relief funds that could use your
support in this moment -- if you’re in a position to help. And if you’re
experiencing economic, mental or physical distress as a result of this
crisis, we’ve included some resources that we hope will useful.

[ [link removed] ]Crooked Media’s Coronavirus Relief Fund: With so many US charities in
need of support right now, making a choice about who to support can be
overwhelming. Our friends at Crooked Media have made the choice easier by
creating a fund that will equally distribute donations to deserving
charities providing food assistance, financial support to workers and
healthcare. Organizations include Meals on Wheels, the CDC Foundation, the
Restaurant Workers Community Foundation and more.

[ [link removed] ]New Israel Fund Emergency Grants: Similarly, the New Israel Fund is
making it easy to divide your contribution among a number of deserving
organizations providing relief to Israelis and Palestinians.

NIF already funds several organizations directly engaged in relief,
including Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, which operates community
and mobile clinics for migrants, refugees and other vulnerable communities
inside Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. We profiled their work -- alongside
several Israeli organizations offering inspiring leadership during this
time -- [ [link removed] ]on our blog this week.

Over the coming weeks, NIF will be offering emergency grants to NGOs and
community organizations assisting people with disabilities, victims of
domestic violence and workers impacted by the pandemic.

[ [link removed] ]Leket Israel: Israel’s national food bank has seen demand for its
services rise exponentially during the pandemic and is now delivering
meals to over 6,000 food -insecure families and elderly Israelis per day.
With coronavirus cases still on the rise in Israel, the organization is
contending with the challenge of scaling its operations while ensuring the
safety of its teams and recipients.

[ [link removed] ]Palestine’s Coronavirus Relief Fund: Even before the coronavirus
outbreak, healthcare providers in the West Bank and Gaza were severely
strained, partially due to the elimination of funding by the Trump
administration. As cases mount in densely-packed Gaza, Palestinians are
facing a public health catastrophe.

Rebuilding Alliance created this relief fund to address urgent needs in
the West Bank and Gaza: protective equipment for healthcare workers, ICU
equipment for NGO hospitals, food assistance to people in quarantine and
more.

[ [link removed] ]HIAS: For over a century, the Jewish organization HIAS has advocated
for the rights and dignity of refugee populations. Their work continues
even during the pandemic.

Adapting to current restrictions, HIAS has developed processes to remotely
secure the services of pro bono attorneys to assist asylum seekers in
crowded US detention facilities. They’re making sure recently resettled
refugees in the US know how to access public benefits, while also
providing emergency relief to refugees abroad.

And if you or someone you know is in need of assistance, here are some
useful resources:

* [ [link removed] ]Find a Local Food Bank
* [ [link removed] ]National Domestic Violence Hotline
* [ [link removed] ]Disaster Distress Hotline
* [ [link removed] ]Assistance for Service Workers in Crisis
* [ [link removed] ]COVID-19 Testing Info

I’ll repeat: We’re all in this together. Whether you’re helping out by
staying home, reaching out to someone who may be in distress, donating to
one of these causes or providing essential services -- your contribution
is valuable.

Thank you. Please stay safe and be well.

- Jeremy Ben-Ami


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© 2020 J Street | [ [link removed] ]www.jstreet.org | [email protected]

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want
Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people.
Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate policies that
advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values,
leading to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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