Fed in Focus

Federation Provides
Additional $100,000 in
Special Support to Sderot

On February 26, more than 1,000 people gathered at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills for a special concert, organized by the Israeli Leadership Club, to raise money and support for the people of Sderot, Israel.

We encourage you to read this relevant piece by Israeli journalist and author Yossi Klein Halevi. It appeared on the cover of this Sunday's Opinion section of the Los Angeles Times (3/2/08).

The city of Sderot, located less than a mile from the Gaza border, is made up largely of immigrants from Iran, Morocco, Romania, Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union. Already suffering from a high unemployment rate, and low socio-economic ranking within Israel, Sderot is also now the most frequent target of attacks from Gaza. Kassam rockets hit the city almost daily.

The recent Live for Sderot program featured a selection of popular Israeli performers, including Israeli Idol winner Ninette Tayeb, as well as local leaders including elected officials, rabbis and a handful of celebrities. Perhaps the most moving appearance of the evening was by a teenager from Sderot, who was brought, along with a group of young Sderot residents, to spend time in Los Angeles sharing their experiences. His emotional address to the audience, expressing his gratitude for the support of our community, was tremendous.

The Jewish Federation has been supporting Sderot’s besieged residents since the 2006 Lebanon War first broke out, helping the children of the area enjoy camp in safe areas, making upgrades and improvements to bomb shelters, and sending messages of support, including many in person by community members traveling to Israel.

Once again, the Federation has offered up its support for Sderot, by offering a $100,000 matching fund to the money raised at the concert. We are very pleased that our match was met. The money we are sending will be used to support a program called OFEK, one of the most advanced educational programs in Israel’s school system. OFEK is a technology and training program designed to help Israeli students, particularly those in the poorest neighborhoods, compete in math and the sciences. In Sderot, new computers and special software will be installed, and training will be provided to students.

Our aim in supporting this program is to help re-establish normalcy and quality of life for the young people of Sderot, at a time of great uncertainty. If you would like to show your support for our family in Israel, especially those in Sderot, click here to make a pledge to our Israel in Crisis fund.