Mevo Modi’im, July 14- In its continued efforts to help the families of the incinerated community of Mevo Modi’im get back on their feet, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (Keren L’Yedidut) has helped the small moshav (communal agricultural community) raise NIS 1,800,000 in collected donations for its residents, the vast majority of whom have lost their homes. Located west of Jerusalem and near the Israeli city of Modi’in, Mevo Modi’im sustained a massive fire in May that has destroyed most of the community’s homes. The moshav is still uninhabitable as toxic fumes and gases remain from the damage. For the time being, the residents have been temporarily relocated to Kibbutz Hafetz Haim.
“For the past 13 years, The Fellowship has been a central hub for assisting citizens in times of emergency,” said President of The Fellowship Yael Eckstein. “We are continuing to assume that role in this regard by helping Mevo Modi’im with its fundraising initiative. This was a time when the Jewish community, which had turned to The Fellowship to provide emergency aid for Mevo Modi’im, stepped up to partner with our Christian friends to raise over NIS 1,800,000 within a time span of just two weeks. It was a paradigmatic demonstration of a grassroots effort to make a tremendous impact for those in times of dire need and assistance.”
As many as 2500 people from around the world donated, from those giving as little as a dollar to the much larger donors like the Kraft Family Foundation (founded by the owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft), the Leichtag Foundation centered in San Diego, California and the Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation.
During the first phase of distribution, a total of NIS 761,715 in aid was raised and transferred to the families of Mevo Modi’im to cover their basic needs. Families were allotted up to $5,000 of assistance in accordance with a number of factors and criteria established by the community of Mevo Modi’im. During the second phase, the residents of Mevo Modi’im were given the same amount of financial support they respectively received during the first phase as well as a supplemental aid in several categories. An additional NIS 2500 was added for each child in a family as well as for any resident over the age of 60. Each special needs child or adult, as well as any single parent, was entitled to an extra NIS 3000.
A total of NIS 1,053,625 in financial support was available to the families of Mevo Modi’im during the second phase. A gap remained from that amount in the sum of NIS 15,340, which was reserved for the committee of Mevo Modi’im.
Brachie Sprung, a native of Mevo Modi’im and member of the Mevo Modi’im emergency response committee, conveyed her deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for all who donated: “We are humbled and blessed not only for receiving such critical assistance at this time but also knowing there are hundreds of people around the world who continue to have us in their thoughts and prayers. A long road ahead to recovery continues to remain for us, but this outpouring of support gives the community such comfort.”
About The Fellowship
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) was founded in 1983 to promote better understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews, and build broad support for Israel. Today it is one of the leading forces helping Israel and Jews in need worldwide – and is the largest channel of Christian support for Israel. The Fellowship now raises more than $140 million per year, mostly from Christians, to assist Israel and the Jewish people. Since its founding, The Fellowship has raised more than $1.5 billion for this work. The organization has offices in Jerusalem, Chicago, Toronto, and Seoul. For more information, visit www.ifcj.org
