FROM: BEIT SHEMESH:


Over one million Israelis are now suffering constant barrages of overA thousand rockets and missiles, and the terrifying, constant threat of death and injury.

And the flow of families fleeing from the war and terror on the northern half of Israel, and from the rockets from Gaza in the South, is rapidly growing from a trickle to a flood.

Yesterday, our town, Beit Shemesh was asked to accommodate 117 'refugees' from Nahariya. Today, a bus-load from Tiberius, 74 people from Carmiel and 119 people fleeing from Haifa. Tomorrow...

Our small community is now preparing to absorb 1000-2000 people for up to a Month.

So we are turning our public buildings (schools, community centers, sports halls..) into sprawling camps - where our guests receive a roof over their heads, sustenance, and no imminent threat of rockets.

Local families are 'adopting' the refugee families, and help with their laundry, meals, and social integration into their new (temporary) community.

Lema'an Achai (www.lemaanachai. org) is heading this community-based emergency relief project; building upon the organisation' s successful experience in aiding the 9000 Gush Katif evacuees nationally last summer and to this very day - and seven years of 'smart-chesed' charitable & includes the Beit Shemesh Municipality, The Community Centres, Ezrat
Achim, and numerous shuls and organisations.

Lema'an Achai has been mandated to raise funds to meet the multitude of needs of such a large group of newly homeless families. For Food, Drink, Provisions, Bedding, Fans, Kettles, Clothes.... teams of social workers & counselors to help with trauma...

Lema'an Achai has established a designated Refugee Relief Fund to meet these emergency needs.

Please now donate generously to:-

24 Hour Credit Card Service in Israel - 02-99.999.33

US Tax Deductible Donations:
Checks payable to: "US Friends of Lema'an Achai"
Memo line - "Refugee Relief"
PO Box 532, Oceanside, NY 11572-0532

UK Tax Deductible Donations:
Cheques payable to "Jewish Aid Committee"
c/o Refugee Relief Fund - Lema'an Achai,
40/7 Nachal Lachish,
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093, Israel.

Canadian Tax Deductible Donations:
Checks payable to: "Shaarei Tefilah Charity Fund" -
Memo Line: Refugee Relief Fund - Lema'an Achai
C/O Murray Shore, 31 Marvill StreetToronto, Ontario, M3H 3L2

Israel Tax Deductible Donations:
Checks Payable to "Lema'an Achai - Refugee Relief Fund"
40/7 Nachal Lachish,
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093, Israel.

In the (happy!) event that any funds raised are not required for Refugee Relief, they will be used for other critical charitable services.

Adopt a Family:
If you live in the Beit Shemesh area, and can host a family to help them with any of the following:
accommodation, meals, laundry, showers, social needs, etc... please call:
Zvi Naamat - 9909940
If you live in Ramat Beit Shemesh, I will be sending an update in the coming hours/days, when we need you to step forward to help.

We should hear only good news.
David

David Morris, Chairman
Lema'an Achai - It's All About Caring

www.lemaanachai. org
david@lemaanachai. org

Direct Tel: +972 2 9997107
Office: +972 2 9991553
Fax: +972 2 9997027

40/7 Nahal Lachish
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093 Israel.

* * *
URGENT PLEA FOR HELP TODAY FOR VICTIMS IN TZFAT

anyone that would like to donate food, supplies, candles , flashlights, etc. please call devorah leah at #0544-579-576.

there will be a pickup late today going directly back to tzfat. there are hundreds of families still there in shelters that do not have access to money, food, or basic necessities. we need to help them asap!

if you can give a direct donation today, they will have it in their hands late tonight or tomorrow.

this is an urgent plea , people are in shock there and needing immediate attention!
--------------------------
Thu Jul 20, 2006 4:34 am (PDT)

Does anyone know anyone or company prepared to take a truckload of stuff to Carmiel today for children that are stuck being in safe rooms and miklatim. Please e-mail baruch@avichai.org.il or call 026243335. The person will be paid.

Thanks in advance,

Baruch
-----------------------
Healing Balms for Tzfat
Posted by: "ys" manna04@zahav.net.il boisenberryfiesta
Date: Thu Jul 20, 2006 4:44 am (PDT)

bs'd

Anyone who can send over some bottles of essential oil - geranium, rosemary and lavender - this is much needed. Also Bach Rescue Remedy.
Also needed Valerian tincture.

Also needed a PRINTER (!) my printer just went out on a blitz and is needed for Divrei Kedusha in the security room.

If anyone is coming to Tzfat and can bring any of these items -
ASHREI. It is a big mitzvah.

 Blessings,
zilpah
 04-6920199
-----------------------------------
FROM: Rabbi Ian Pear, Cong. Shir Hadash in Jerusalem:

A collection bin will once again be available this week in shul for the benefit of those in need during the current crisis. In addition to the candy we have been collecting for soldiers, I encourage you to bring non-perishable food items, board games, children's books and
pampers. These items will be delivered to miklatim in the North in
the coming days.
_____________________
From: Aharon Botzer: Livnot U'Lehibanot, Tsfat:

To no one's surprise, Livnot is intimately involved in the relief effort, as the local municipality and its services cannot possibly accommodate all the urgent needs of the community. The Livnot campus is currently being used by army officers being housed in Tzfat on an emergency basis. In addition, members of the Botzer family are preparing and serving meals to as many people as they can who are living in bomb shelters.

There is so much more work to be done for these families including: preparing and serving meals, helping out with elderly citizens who are on their own, playing with children, and whatever else needs to be done.

I want you to know upfront that rockets have landed in the vicinity of the Livnot campus. We cannot guarantee anyone's safety. What we can promise is that you would play a huge role in serving the people of Tzfat and all of Am Yisrael in a time of need. You will have a place to
stay on the Livnot campus, your meals will be taken care of, and we will set you up for Shabbat.

* **

In addition, a good friend of Livnot and a well-known figure in the American Jewish world, Rabbi Avi Weiss from Riverdale, NY, is going to be with us for Shabbat. We are planning a special Kabbalat Shabbat on the terrace of Livnot, and meals together.

We'd be happy to see people start showing up as early as tomorrow. The more volunteers who come up, the bigger impact we can have on the families who have no place else to turn. If you are interested, please call Yonah at 052-568-8118 to make arrangements.

There are Egged busses running to Tzfat. From Jerusalem to Tzfat, there are weekday busses at 9am, 1pm and 5pm, and on Friday at 9am and 1pm.
From other locations, call Egged at 03/ 694-8888 [and *2800].

Yours truly,
Aharon
botzer@livnot.com
----------------------------------------------
The City of Beit Shemesh, together with volunteer groups and individuals have decided to open the schools in order to enable families from the North to come to Beit Shemesh.

Staying with families has proven to be too difficult and very short term.

This afternoon a bus of 50 people will be arriving from the shelters of Nahariya and Tzfat.
They will be sleeping in Uziel. They will get free access to the pool for swimming as well as showers. Children will go to the day camp at the community center. We have volunteers to cook and deliver 3 meals a day but we are still missing the money for the food.

In Ramat Beit Shemesh there will be another 50 people who will be provided for in a similar manner. Lema'an Achai and myself have committed ourselves to find the funds for the food for these 100 people for the next two weeks.

If you can help or know of people who would help, please call me at 050-525-6716 or email me at: lerner@netmedia.net.il or shalomlr@bshemesh.co.il and please leave a phone number.

We have requests for many 100's of people who would like to come to Beit Shemesh but we want to first see if we can manage with the first 100. If you want to join in this great mitzvah, please call or email.

Shalom Lerner
Deputy Mayor

Judy Lash Balint is an award-winning Jerusalem-based writer and author of Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times. (Gefen) www.jerusalemdiaries.com

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