December 29, 2008 / 2 Tevet 5769

Late this afternoon, Jewish Agency representatives presented checks to the victims of Kassam and Grad missile attacks.  The first to receive her check from the Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror was Maya Ibar from Sderot whose home was destroyed by a direct hit. 

Zion Shushan was the second to receive his check. Last week, his shop window exploded on him when a Kassam fell in the Sderot shopping center.  Also wounded in that attack was the third recipient, Amos Haddad. He was hit by shrapnel. The recipients expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Jewish Agency and donors around the world. The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror was established by the Israel Emergency Fund of the United Jewish Communities and has been supported by Jewish federations, Keren Hayesod communities, foundations and individuals.

The Marin family suffered a hit in front of the house.

On the morning of Dec. 29, 2008th  one person was killed and another eleven were wounded when a Grad missile landed at a construction site in Ashkelon. Of the wounded, one was suffered serious injury, three moderately, and five lightly.  Two people suffered shock.  The wounded – Bedouin and Palestinian employees who worked at the site – were transported to Ashkelon’s Barzilai Hospital for treatment.

As soon as the news of the attack broke, Ohad Drori, a Jewish Agency southern region social worker, headed toward Barzilai Hospital in order to offer support to the victims.  “I am aware of the fact that the wounded victims are surprised to see us come so soon after the attack,” Drori said.  “They are very happy that we’re there, though they are always surprised how quickly we come.”

A missile hit the surface of a synagogue, injuring Yaakov Tamost, who is still in the hospital.

The wounded victims will receive assistance from the Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror.  If the victim is an Arab Israeli with an Israeli identification card, he receives the same level of assistance as Jewish Israeli victims.

This morning, the Jewish Agency prepared checks for the families hurt this past weekend; the checks will be distributed to all the families today and tomorrow.

Reports from Ashkelon this morning state that the majority of the city’s 120,000 residents remain in shelters, while a minority have gone to work. In the wake of this morning’s missile attack, tensions are high among all the city’s residents – children and adults alike.

Update as of  12 pm Today:

• Ofer Baram, Jewish Agency Director of Community Relations, Israel Southern Region, and Ohad Drori, Jewish Agency social worker for the southern region, have been arriving with record speed to the sites of the attacks to offer assistance and report on the victims’ immediate needs. 
  
• Since Dec. 25, 2008 until today, 45 calls have been received by the Jewish Agency emergency hotline asking for financial assistance.  After the initial filtering of the calls, field workers are currently processing a list of eleven requests.
  
• Since Dec. 24, 2008,  urgent assistance has been authorized for 14 victims, at a total amount of 46,000 NIS.

The victims are from Kfar Aza (4), Eshkol Regional Council (3), Tekuma (3), Netivot (2), Nir Am (1) and Hulit (1).

We express our gratitude to the Israel Region representatives working on the ground for their exceptionally swift and professional work.