We are all devastated watching the news from the tragic earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The death toll is now above 11,000 and is still rising. The Jewish community in Turkey has also been hard hit. The president of the Antakya community, Saul Cenudioglu, is feared dead along with his wife, Fortuna. The town’s synagogue was also partially destroyed. (See here for footage of the synagogue’s Torah scrolls being removed to safety).
In times of crisis, we band together as a Jewish community to get help to people in need. Jewish Federations across the U.S. and Canada support global humanitarian network through our core international partners, the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI). Both agencies have had professionals on the ground since the earthquake hit. They have been supporting the Jewish community there and are also providing broader humanitarian assistance. We are also in close contact with the Israeli government and other organizations that are assisting in relief efforts.
Here is a summary of the efforts underway thus far:
- JDC worked with the Turkish Jewish community to evacuate ten communal members from the immediate disaster area. All ten are now safe, and six of the group have been given accommodation in the community’s assisted li
ving facility. The JDC team arrived on the ground within 36 hours of the quake and have now visited four of the hardest hit areas to evaluate the needs on the ground. In the coming days, JDC plans to focus on helping some of the estimated one million people left without homes cope with living outdoors in very difficult conditions. JDC will be supplying thousands of tents, heaters, thermal clothing, ready to eat meals and first aid kits.
- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has already sent a delegation of 150 search and rescue experts of the Home Front Command and will send a second delegation of 230 experts to establish a field hospital in the area in the coming hours (See here for details about the field hospital.) Since arriving in Turkey late Monday night, the IDF mission known as “Operation Olive Branch” has aided the search and rescue activities.
- Last night, following a four and a half hour operation, the IDF team managed to rescue a young woman trapped under rubble and later also rescued a young boy. See moving footage of the rescues here and video of IDF Search and Rescue Team Commander, Maj (res.) Matan Schneider, describing the operation here. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel also plans to send aid to Syria, including tents, medication, and blankets, but the Syrian government has
denied requesting aid from Israel. Israel and Syria do not have diplomatic ties; however, during the ongoing civil war there, the IDF carried out a significant humanitarian operation to treat wounded Syrian civilians.
- A group of 25 volunteers from United Hatzalah left Israel for Turkey yesterday, including doctors, paramedics, and trauma experts; they also sent ten tons of equipment and humanitarian aid. Joining them was a small group from IsraAID organization, including trauma experts, who traveled to Turkey with water purification systems. Rescuers Without Borders, another Israeli NGO, has also deployed a small team of medical professionals to the field.
- Finally, we have opened a fundraising effort so that individuals who wish to provide additional emergency support to this effort may do so quickly and directly. Our established committees for international emergency response will ensure that any funds received are directed immediately to the greatest needs. More than 74 Federations responded with additional funds within the first 24 hours.
JFNA continues to work closely with our partners to monitor the situation. We will provide regular updates and will schedule a webinar as soon as possible.