The Jewish Communal Fund (JCF), the largest Jewish donor advised fund in the country, announced today that it was making an emergency grant of $100,000 to the Israel Trauma Coalition from its Special Gifts Fund, JCF’s institutional endowment.
The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC), created by UJA-Federation of New York in 2001, brings together more than 40 organizations in Israel to help individuals and communities cope with the psychological stress from unrelenting violence. ITC offers crisis counseling and support for those suffering from post-traumatic stress. During the current conflict, ITC has seen a 1,300% increase in requests for help as more Israelis are living under a barrage of rocket attacks.
“As the largest network of Jewish funders in the country, we felt that it was our responsibility to act swiftly to provide psychological counseling to those who are suffering from crippling anxiety and fear as a result of the constant threat of rocket fire,” said Susan F. Dickman, Executive Vice President and CEO of Jewish Communal Fund. “We mourn the loss of innocent life on both sides and pray for a peaceful resolution.”
During the past month, as more than 2,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel, ITC has provided more than 2,000 sessions to people with anxiety, 400 sessions for families, and its staff and volunteers have answered more than 1,500 calls a day on its emergency hotlines.
“UJA-Federation and the Israel Trauma Coalition are incredibly grateful for the recent grant from the Jewish Communal Fund,” said Alisa Rubin Kurshan, Ph.D., Sr. Vice President, Strategic Planning & Organizational Resources at UJA-Federation of New York. “Created by UJA-Federation of New York in 2001, the Israel Trauma Coalition is on the front lines responding to violence and trauma, helping tens of thousands individuals and communities cope with unrelenting violence. This generous gift will go a long way in supporting the work of ITC and reiterates what we know to be true: New York stands with Israel.”
The Eshkol Resilience Center, one of ITC’s five Resilience Centers located near the Gaza border, has treated over 450 people suffering from anxiety and post-traumatic stress, and supported parents, children, and staff of all 32 villages and kibbutzim in the Eshkol Region.
“ITC’s mission is to keep people together so that our spirit doesn’t break,” wrote Talia Levanon, the Director of ITC, in a recent dispatch to supporters. “All teams are working day and night to keep these communities going. They are the core of a resilient Israel. We need to keep them safe and strong.”
In addition to JCF’s institutional grant, JCF fund holders have generously made 325 grants of more than $1.1 million to a variety of charities that are helping the people of Israel during this difficult time, including UJA-Federation of New York’s Israel Emergency Fund.
