By Ezra HaLevi Arutz Sheva March 8, 2006

In response to numerous requests, the following is an incomplete list of active individuals and volunteer organizations working to help the Jews forcibly evicted from Gaza and northern Samaria.

* The Council of Gush Katif Settlers is the central umbrella organization representing and assisting the evictees. It is headed by Rabbi Yigal Kaminetsky (Chief Rabbi of Gush Katif) in conjunction with Lemaan Acheinu, For the Sake of our Brothers, which is responsible for coordinating volunteer activities and distributing concrete aid throughout the country. To volunteer or donate, call (011 9722 from outside Israel or 02 from inside) 509-0111 between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM or the donation hotline at 1-599-55-77-78 from within Israel.

* Keren HaTzaddik (in memory of Rabbi Aryeh Levin) - Food distribution to tent cities and other groups of evictees around the country. (011 9722 from outside Israel or 02 from inside) 651 3111 or toll free 1-800-203-320 from inside Israel. For more information, email: jewish [at] netvision.net.il

* Lemaan Achai Ramat Bet Shemesh - Establishing a free-loan fund for expellees from all communities, plus counseling and other activities. Currently assisting those evicted from Atzmona, currently housed in Sha’alvim dormitories through provision of food and practical supplies. (011 9722 from outside Israel or 02 from inside) 999-9933, email: creditcard [at] lemaanachai.org

* One of the main problems is unemployment. A list has been set up to try to find new employment for evacuees. To post a job vacancy, email jobkatif@hotmail.co.il or call (011 9728 from outside Israel or 08 from inside) 672 7703.

* Rachel Saperstein (former N’vei Dekalim resident currently living in the Jerusalem Gold Hotel) has established a “Band-Aid” Fund to provide anonymous cash donations of 500-1,000 shekels to meet immediate expenses of evictee families. Assistance should be sent to: The Central Fund of Israel, Jay Marcus, Rehov Hagoel 13, Efrat, Israel 90435; earmarked for Rachel-Operation Band-Aid.

* Ruthi Brenner is seeking sponsors for evacuee university students who were unable to work this summer to put themselves through college and may have to forfeit their studies as a result. Brenner says that $5,000 paid directly to the university would cover a full year of college tuition and she would be happy to put sponsors in contact with their “adopted” students. Email: luveretz [at] netvision.net.il or telephone: (011 9722 from outside Israel or 02 from inside) 561 1962.

* Bracha Jaffe is helping the mostly secular families who were or still are housed in the Green Beach Hotel, near Netanya. (011 972 54 from outside Israel or 054 from inside) 761-7988, email: bracha [at] tdsoft.com

* Katherine (Gita) Weiner is helping those in for the Ir Emunah, City of Faith - a tent/trailer city set up by 35 families evicted from Atzmona, which needs help with construction and caravan repairs, microwaves and toasters to give some independence to families as far as food is concerned. Also being collected is equipment for preschool/kindergarten and donations. Email: izgnanie [at] yahoo.com

* Barbara Silverman and attorney Jan Sokolsky are raising funds for new winter coats for evictees in Jerusalem (so far they have purchased 275), plus more winter clothing, winter shoes and prayer books for the upcoming Jewish holidays. They also need volunteers to take groups of children away from confining hotel rooms and to parks. (011 9722 from outside Israel or 02 from inside) 623-2548 (Barbara) and (02)566-6388 (Jan)

* Sarah Alpert is working together with former Netzer Hazani farmer Anita Tucker to provide financial help for the families of Netzer Hazani in the Golan and elsewhere, for the purchase of winter clothing, travel expenses and other practical needs. Email: salpert [at] jfsisrael.org

* Seeking used (but working) laptops, preferably with Word, Excel and wireless capability to assist community leaders in their administrative work and enable the physically scattered expellees to reconnect and coordinate with one another through virtual communities. Email: wisemon [at] actcom.net.il

* In the US, Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Executive Director of the National Council of Young Israel has agreed to assist in this effort and made a recent trip to Israel in order to see the situation for himself. Donations can be made out to: Young Israel Charity Fund, Gush Katif Fund, NCYI, 3 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011

* An active email list dedicated to helping the Jewish evictees can be signed up for at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gush_Katif/

* The list was comprise by Buddy Macy of Little Falls, NJ, but can be expanded upon using the comments section at the bottom of the page.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 8th, 2006 and is filed under action.