Assisting in Birth, Rebirth

This earthquake survivor in Port-au-Prince who gave birth to a son at the Israeli field hospital on Jan. 17 decided to name him Israel as a token of appreciation for the country that helped her. JTA, staff reports

HAITI — “Why are you here; There are no Jews here?” was the question Israeli rescuers heard from Haitians as they searched atop the mounds of rumble for injured survivors iof the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in the island nation.

The response was always the same as the rescuers explained the Torah commandments requiring saving lives and the principles of tikkun olam — “repairing the world.”

Sometimes the strains of “Shalom Alacheim” could be heard as Israelis led sing-a-longs to help keep spirits up among the hungry, injured and worried survivors. Most of the time it was just arduous hours trying to rescue, treat the injured, or help mothers give birth.

Rabbi Shaul Offen reading the Torah at the Israel Defense Forces Medical Unit Field Hospital Camp, Port-au-Prince, Jan. 22. Photo by Joe Shalmoni Israel was among the first foreign governments to arrive with onthe ground medical and rescue crews, setting up one of the first field hospitals. Volunteers from other Israeli organizations, particularly ZAKA and Magen David Adom, also conducted live-saving work in the Caribbean nation.

The Israel Defense Forces delegation concluded its operations in Haiti and left the country on Jan. 27, replaced mainly by American aid organizations.

The team consisted of 218 Israeli soldiers and officers and 18 civilians. During their 10-day stay, delegation members treated more than 1,100 patients, conducted 319 successful surgeries, delivered 16 babies including three Caesarean sections, and saved many from the ruins of the earthquake. The delegation also set up a $2 million satellitebased communication system that enabled video-conferencing on surgeries, reporters to file stories and rescued Hatians to call family members.

On their chartered plane out of the devastated country, the Israeli medical team brought with them a 5-year-old Haitian child who will have heart surgery in Israel.

The delegation left more than 30 tons of medical equipment and supplies in Haiti to help further earthquake relief efforts, according to the IDF, including bandaging gear, surgery equipment, two incubators and other medical accessories, as well as 1,150 blankets, 30 large-sized tents, 500 mattresses, 200 sleeping bags and kitchen equipment. The equipment is being distributed to tent cities throughout Haiti, coordinated by the Israeli ambassador in the country.

The rescue and medical team arrived home in Israel to a heroes’ welcome from proud Israelis including senior Israeli officials and senior army commanders.

***

Israel’s Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog has asked his staff to look into adopting Haitian children who lost their parents in the devastating earthquake on Jan. 12, according to reports in Israel.

Herzog has asked Israel’s envoy to the Dominican Republic, Amos Radian, who is also the consular official for Haiti, to submit an official request regarding the adoptions. Israel does not have an official adoption protocol with Haiti, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Israel helps prospective adoptive families by subsidizing the cost of international adoptions. The children are converted to Judaism upon arrival.

***

In just the first two weeks after the disaster, the Jewish Federations of North America reported raising $3 million and the American Jewish World Service reported raising a similar amount.

The federation system is working with the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief (JCDR), which is comprised of some 30 organizations, including the Union for Reform Judaism, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, World ORT, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the American Jewish Committee.

JCDR has begun partnering with the Chabad in the Dominican Republic, which is coordinating the purchase of food and basic necessities and arranging trucking to Haiti. JCDR is also collaborating with the Afya Foundation to ship hundreds of mattresses, blankets, and medical supplies to Partners in Health, which is distributing these essential items to earthquake victims.

The Jewish Federations of North America and many individual Federations are also sending donations directly to its overseas partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Some of the ways JDC is meeting short-term emergency needs in Haiti include:

• Working with Heart-to-Heart International, a U.S. non-governmental organization, to provide emergency medical assistance, equipment and other services;

• Working with IsraAID, which sent 15 members to Haiti to help with Operation Blessing, an effort funded by the American Jewish Committee and several Federations.

• Working with USAID and Interaction to send additional medical personnel and supplies to Haiti;

• Coordinating with HIAS on immigrant protection issues for Haitians who are currently in the process of deportation

• Working with the National Association of Jewish Chaplains to mobilize chaplains trained in disaster spiritual care and partnering with the American Red Cross for deployment.

JDC recently announced a mobile giving campaign.

Donors can text JDC-HAITI to 8-5-9-4-4 to give $10 via mobile phone.

The campaign is being sponsored by Havana Central of New York and donors Linda and Jeremy Merrin, who have offered to match mobile donations dollar for dollar up to a designated amount A $10 donation is instantly doubled to $20.

Donations may also be made at www.jdc.org.

***

Goals of the AJWS Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund include:

• Provide emergency health services and education to help reduce the second wave of casualties due to wounds, contamination from corpses and human waste

• Clear roadways to facilitate rescue and distribution of emergency supplies

• Provide emergency psychosocial support to survivors

• Support longer-term recovery (in the months following the earthquake) including rebuilding of community centers, clinics and schools; replanting of crops and farms to reestablish the local food supply and provide a source of income; and support to community based organizations’ efforts to rebuild civil society.

Donations to AJWS can be made at www.ajws.org. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

American Jewish community and Israel have received accolades for their quick reaction to the earthquake in Haiti, both in ter ms of manpower and dollars. But some question whether, with so many Jews and Jewish institutions in need here and around the world, Jews should be reaching out to others in this way. Take our Jewish Press poll at www.jewishpresstampa.com to tell us what you think.