The below programs reflect needs that have surfaced as of today, May 18, 2021. Additional details are available for each program, including location,
partners, timeframe, and more. Each area of intervention builds upon existing areas of expertise and partnerships that have been fostered over the past years and decades.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AT-RISK

  • Trauma support and material assistance for 1,400 families at-high risk under fire
  • Trauma and resilience training for kindergarten and school staff
  • Deployment of volunteers and activity kits to bomb shelters
  • Hotline for Parents of Infants and Toddlers of 3,000 families serving 50 daycare facilities within a 25-mile range of the Gaza strip. Parents can call for immediate advice and support from trained therapy staff.
  • Psychological Support and Trauma Relief for 500 volunteers working with Young Arabs, and Haredi Adults who are experiencing psychological stress and difficulty at this time; and families who have been affected by the recent Mount Meron tragedy.

IN-SCHOOL TRAUMA INTERVENTIONS

  • “Hibuki” – Early Childhood Trauma Therapy in pre-schools
    Developed first during the second Lebanon War, the “Hibuki” (“huggy doll”
    in English) intervention has proven to help address suppressed trauma
    among pre-school aged children. This includes training for pre-school
    teachers and accompanying curriculum.
    Funding needed: $412,000 = 6,000 children
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  • School-based Trauma Relief in Lod
    The unprecedented, rapid and intense internal violence that has erupted
    between Arab and Jewish residents in the city of Lod has thrown hundreds
    of families into intense fear and trauma. While the chaos is concentrated in
    one mixed neighborhood, there is spillover to all areas of the city. The
    violence of the last week has set back the fragile co-existence in this city.
    These fears and experiences are channeling into the local schools, and the
    principals, teachers and school therapy staff are receiving countless
    requests for support from parents.
    JDC seeks to begin a full-year intervention to support educational staff,
    students and parents within ten local schools in Lod. This support will
    include guidance for school staff and therapy for students who have been
    most impacted by the violence. Given that both Jewish and Arab
    schoolchildren are impacted, the selected schools will be a mix of both
    Jewish and Arab schools in the city.
    Funding needed: $124,000 for 10 schools = 100 students, 60 school staff

ONLINE ASSISTANCE FOR THE HOMEBOUND

  • Online Classes
    For many seniors, the past week of continuous rocket fire has turned them
    into prisoners in their apartments. Many elderly are unable to reach a safe
    space before the rocket lands. In the past 7 days, elderly living within 50
    miles of the Gaza border have not engaged in physical activity.
    As a result, JDC is focusing on providing in-place relief and engagement
    opportunities, including a robust series of online courses including yoga,
    workshops on healthy aging, digital literacy, and more.
    Funding needed: $100,000
  • Virtual Center for Independent Living for the Elderly
    Drawing on the experience of the Virtual Center for Independent Living
    created during COVID to connect people with disabilities with their
    community, and receive professional assistance and access to services,
    JDC will deploy a similar model catering to the needs of the aging who are
    not able to leave their homes.
    Funding needed: $80,000

ENCOURAGING DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

10.Training for Businesses
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have become a standard value and practice
among the largest employers throughout the US. The current conflict poses
significant risks to maintaining healthy and safe workspaces and there is
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fear that civil unrest and violence could impact employment opportunities
for groups already underrepresented within the workforce.
JDC proposes to develop Diversity, Equity and Inclusion trainings for the
workplace that is uniquely adapted to the complexities of Israeli society.
Funding needed: $1,000,000 to develop and deliver training for 100
businesses

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

11.Subsidies for the Purchase of Life-Saving Technology for the Hearing
Impaired
There are 141,000 hearing impaired individuals living in Israel among the
Jewish and Arab populations. Many are unable to hear the rocket sirens
which places them in immediate danger as they do not vacate to safe
shelter. Special technology has been developed to assist the hearing
impaired. The cost per unit is $5,000. JDC would like to subsidize the cost
for these devices.
Funding needed: $2,000 per unit.
12.MoodKnight: A digital platform that detects emotional distress among
people with disabilities
JDC, along with our government partners, has identified a cross-section of
Israeli society that is struggling with ongoing emotional difficulties that affect
their day-to-day functioning. This challenge first surfaced during the COVID
outbreak and over the past week, it has surfaced again. These individuals
will need medical and rehabilitation services, and yet Israel is not equipped
for this uptick in the number of people struggling with emotional distress.
This trend may put additional burdens on rehabilitation services, education
services, parental functioning, and participation in the workforce.
This situation can be monitored and prevented, if we act quickly.
JDC is a partner in developing MoodKnight, a technology that detects and
alerts relevant caregivers and authorities of a deteriorating emotional state
through a series of digital tools that detect and prevent mental states such
as loneliness, distress, mild depression, tendency to violence, and more.
Funding needed: $100,000 to develop the system and pilot it with about
5000 people.

PROGRAMS CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT



A. Tolerance and shared society training for religious clergy of all faiths
B. Violence Among Arab Youth: Task Force with Prime Minister’s Office
One of the sources of violence in Israel today are “lost youth” in the Arab
sector. These are youth at-risk who have been involved in serious violence
within Arab society well before the current tensions. JDC will initiate a
Taskforce together with the Prime Minister’s Office to bring a diverse crosssection of stakeholders to address this disturbing phenomenon and to forge
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shared solutions. Working in partnership with Hassan Tawafra, Head of the
Economic Development Authority in Israel’s Ministry of Social Equality, the
taskforce will bring together relevant ministries, local government and civil
society representatives to look at the situation in five of Israel’s “mixed cities”
– Lod, Ramle, Acre, and Nof Hagalil, Nazareth/IIit). Together, participants
in the task force will forge strategies for immediate assistance, prevention,
and rehabilitation. In this initial stage, the three largest mixed cities,
Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv will not be addressed.

Stay Informed

 

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