The Jewish Federation of Cleveland is working with the national Federation system to mobilize communal resources in response to the super Typhoon Haiyan, which has wrought widespread destruction in the Philippines.
The Federation’s international partner, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), is consulting with local officials, the Filipino Jewish community and global partners to assess the evolving situation on the ground in the Philippines, where one of the strongest storms on record has wrought widespread destruction. More than 10,000 people are feared dead, with reports of ocean surges as high as trees. The central city of Tacloban on the island of Leyte is among the worst hit on the Pacific nation.
The Federation-supported JDC has led relief efforts for previous storms in the Philippines, and helped support the local Jewish community in a nation that sheltered 1,000 European Jews fleeing the Nazis during World War II.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Filipino people suffering from this terrible storm’s unimaginable destruction,” said Cheryl Fishbein, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Emergency Committee.
Jewish Federations have a proud tradition of supporting the Jewish communal response to disasters around the world and at home, raising tens of millions of dollars for emergency assistance and longer-term aid. Most recently, Federations supported the national response to severe flooding in Colorado. In recent years, Federations responded to tsunamis in Japan and southeast Asia, the Haiti earthquake, and Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast.
The JFNA Emergency Committee is coordinating the Federation response with JDC and its global disaster relief partners. Donations can be made online by visiting www.jewishcleveland.org or given by mail at Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund, Jewish Federation of Cleveland, P.O. Box 74320, Cleveland, OH 44194-4320.
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