Over 30 leaders from major Jewish organizations around the world participated this week in a roundtable forum established by The Jewish Agency for Israel and Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs aimed at assessing the implications COVID-19 has had on Jews worldwide.
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"The call began with introductory remarks by the new Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Omer Yankelevich. Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog then presented an overview of five issue areas, and organization leaders followed up by presenting a more in-depth look at each challenge facing the global Jewish community," the organizations said in a statement.
The organization said the five issue areas discussed were: community – the need for rehabilitation and assistance in surviving the crisis; resources – effectively collecting and distributing aid; hope and morale – promoting unity and mutual responsibility; education – current and future needs; anti-Semitism – preparation for future outbreaks.
Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog noted: "For the first time in the history of the State of Israel, we established a formal forum to assist Jewish communities around the world. This is not meant to be an ad hoc emergency response to a specific community, but rather to understand, to map, and to assist communities through a rehabilitation period that is expected to belong and, in some cases, grueling. This is a paradigm shift of 'all the people of Israel are responsible for one another,' and it is the hour for decisive leadership, to take effective steps needed to ensure Jewish communities around the world weather this crisis."
Yankelevich echoed him, saying, "Together as world Jewry, we will build a strong working forum which will provide and achieve concrete solutions for all of our communities."
In late April, The Jewish Agency announced the establishment of the "COVID-19 Loan Fund for Communities in Crisis", a $10 million fund that will provide no-interest loans to organizations providing services essential to the continuing existence of Jewish communities which are now at-risk to survive the pandemic.
Applications from over 70 countries have already been received and are currently being reviewed.
