[by Stu Silberman, President and CEO, Jewish Community of Louisville}
On November 2, Super Typhoon Haiyan ravaged central Philippines and left a huge swath of devastation. On Monday of this week, officials were reporting 3,976 confirmed dead from the storm and 1,598 still missing, and those numbers were not final. Thousands of houses were obliterated. Hospitals, emergency services and roads were destroyed, making delivering aid to survivors a logistical nightmare.
In the wake of this disaster, the Jewish Federation of Louisville is helping to raise money to provide relief for the people of the Philippines. With our partner agencies, the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), we are collecting donations.
JDC is consulting with local officials, the Filipino Jewish community and global partners to assess the evolving situation on the ground and to direct aid in the places it can make the most impact.
The Federation-supported JDC has led relief efforts for previous storms in the Philippines, and helped support the local Jewish community in a nation that sheltered 1,000 European Jews fleeing the Nazis during World War II.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Filipino people suffering from this terrible storm’s unimaginable destruction,” said Stu Silberman, president and CEO of the Jewish Community of Louisville. “Louisvillians have a proud tradition of supporting those in need around the world and I am confident they will step up once again to aid a community in despair.”
Jewish Federations regularly come together in support of the Jewish communal response to disasters around the world and at home, raising tens of millions of dollars for emergency assistance and longer-term aid. Most recently, Federations supported the national response to severe flooding in Colorado. In recent years, Federations responded to tsunamis in Japan and Southeast Asia, the Haiti earthquake, and Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast.
Donations to help the Philippine victims of Typhoon Haiyan can be made on our online page at www.jewishlouisville.org/federation/donate or by mailing your check to:
Jewish Federation of Louisville
Attention: Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund
3600 Dutchmans Ln.
Louisville KY 40205.