Dear Friends,
Jerusalem has not experienced this degree of sustained and consistent rocket fire in perhaps 60 years. One million Jerusalemites are now living with repeated alerts, disrupted routines, and the constant fear for the safety of their loved ones.
This crisis is not just physical. It is also emotional, communal, and deeply spiritual. Over the past month, some of Jerusalem’s holiest sites – the Temple Mount, Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Al-Aqsa Mosque have been shuttered at moments of deep religious significance. Prayers on the last two Fridays of Ramadan were cancelled; Palm Sunday, also cancelled. What will be during the (pilgrimage festival) of Passover, which starts in a few days, or Easter, which starts next week? These complexities add another layer of tension and pain to an already fragile period.
JICC has remained in emergency mode throughout, responding where the gaps are deepest, especially in the already underserved communities of East Jerusalem, and in Ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, as well as in other vulnerable communities across the city.
The infographic offers a snapshot of this work over the past month.
Looking to the month ahead, we see addressing emotional needs as a primary focus. Now that Ramadan has ended, and schools are closed for Passover / Spring break, parents are more emotionally available and therefore susceptible just as prolonged stress, children at home, and holiday pressures are taking a heavier toll.
JICC is well positioned to meet these needs through our trusted community connections already active on at the grassroots level.
We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of care and solidarity from faith-based communities and friends abroad.
Please join our campaign here:
https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/collect/donation-targets/70094/amount
