(Courtesy of WZO) The World Zionist Organization (WZO) has appealed to the Jewish communities in Israel and in the Diaspora with a request that Jews who own empty apartments in Israel put them up for the benefit of the residents of the south and the surrounding area, especially those who lost their homes.

This is an innovative project of its kind, where the owners of the apartments transfer these apartments for the benefit of the WZO, which is responsible for housing families who lost their homes into these apartments.

These days there is a tremendous need for long-term temporary housing for hundreds of families who lost their homes and, in the meantime, have moved to hotels on a temporary basis. This cannot be continued in the long term and will be extremely expensive. WZO has already thought about the day after and is immediately implementing the project that will be called “My Home Is Your Home” at the initiative of WZO’s chairman Yaakov Hagoel.

In recent days, the World Zionist Organization has begun to make inquiries among Jews in Israel and the Diaspora who own apartments in Israel that are not occupied and to build an operational and professional setup that will be responsible for accompanying the project, which includes a dedicated website, contacts, and advertisements around the world in Hebrew, English, French, Spanish and more.

WZO will take full responsibility for the process of handing over the apartment and will ensure that the apartment is returned in the same way as it was received. A contract will be signed between the World Zionist Organization and the owners of the apartments, and another contract between the WZO and the family that will live in the apartment, which makes it legally binding and for the WZO to be the guarantor.

According to Hagoel, “The World Zionist Organization uses all the means at its disposal to help IDF soldiers, Israeli citizens and Diaspora Jews. Alongside the organization’s employees who are now serving the state of Israel on the battlefield, other volunteers and employees of the organization have mobilized for the home front and are responsible for dozens of initiatives for the security of the state of Israel and its citizens.

“The ‘My Home Is Your Home’ initiative is an example of the mutual responsibility between the Jews of the Diaspora and the citizens of Israel. We are happy to be able to carry out an emotional joining of hearts and further promote the unity of Israel in this difficult time. We want to thank the Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora who join the initiative and to everyone who provides a roof over the heads of their brothers in Israel who now need a home where they can find safety, calmness and shelter from the fierce fighting. We are one people and united we will win.”

For further information on this initiative, visit www.wzo.org.il/department/myhome/en/en