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Jewish Federation Opens Haiti Relief Fund

BACKGROUND: On Tuesday, January 12, a powerful earthquake battered the Caribbean nation of Haiti, devastating the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Some 200,000 are feared dead, hundreds of thousands more are injured, over 1 million are homeless, and an estimated 3 million Haitians may face hardship in the aftermath.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Jewish Federation Orange County is partnering with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) to provide urgently needed aid and relief on a nonsectarian basis to victims of the devastating earthquake.  Federation's Global Jewish Lifeline project of our Connect 2 Israel Initiative is our Jewish response to the disaster. Click here to give.  You can also donate by phone (949-435-3484) or mail checks, payable to JFOC Disaster Relief, to Jewish Federation, 1 Federation Way, Suite 210, Irvine, CA 92603-0174.

 ONLINE COVERAGE:

JEWISH HAITI: A Jewish presence in Haiti dates back to 1492; the interpreter on Christopher Columbus’ ship was Luis de Torres, a Converso. Today, Haiti’s Jewish population is approximately 25, centered around Port-au-Prince, the earthquake epicenter. Haiti and Israel have full diplomatic relations.

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YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK

Jewish Federation's International Partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, is already at work in Haiti, saving lives, helping in the recovery, aiding the injured and providing medical equipment, supplies and more.  Click here to read the full story.

 

ISRAEL SETS UP FIELD HOSPITAL IN HAITI

The Israeli delegation landed in the capital of Port-Au-Prince on Friday evening (15 January) and established its operation center in a soccer field near the airport. A second delegation departed on 18 January.

Two teams, comprised of search and rescue personnel and canine operators from the IDF canine unit were sent out on rescue missions. The first team was sent to the Haiti UN headquarters in order to assist in rescuing survivors. The rescue teams are working in cooperation with local authorities in order to reach disaster struck areas where survivors can be located and assisted.

The IDF Medical and Rescue Team set up a field hospital in Port-Au-Prince and is beginning to treat patients there. The field hospital is prepared to receive dozens of ambulances evacuating injured children from the different disaster struck areas. Between Friday night and Saturday, dozens of truckloads of medical and logistical equipment were unloaded and the field hospital set up.

Click here to access major media reports on the Israeli aid mission from ABC, CBS, FoxNews, SkyNews, CNN, LA Times and more.

On Saturday (16 Jan) the Israeli team rescued a top income tax official from the government office building which collapsed in the earthquake. The official, who had been trapped underneath the rubble for four days, is currently being treated at the Israeli field hospital. (see AP video)

The field hospital includes 40 doctors, 25 nurses, paramedics, a pharmacy, a children's ward, a radiology department, an intensive care unit, an emergency room, two operating rooms, a surgical department, an internal department and a maternity ward. The hospital can treat approximately 500 patients each day, and in addition will perform preliminary surgeries.

In the field hospital set up in Port-au-Prince, members of the IDF medical staff are in a race against time to save lives. The Medical Corps treated about 100 injured people. 30% of the injured in the hospital are in serious condition, 50% are moderately injured and the rest are lightly injured. More than half of the injured are under the age of 16. The majority of injuries are limb injuries and bone fractures. 10 life saving surgeries were performed.
 
On Sunday night (17 January) a resident of Port-au-Prince gave birth to a son at the Israeli field hospital. As a token of appreciation and gratitude, his mother decided to name him Israel in honor of the country that helped her.